GOVT DISCUSSES EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

( Editorial: --> 6828 ) ZAGREB, Oct 8 (Hina) - The Croatian government on Thursday decided that elementary and high school teachers who worked during the May/June strike would be given an allowance between net US$169 and US$305. The total gross US$18 million for the allowances will be earmarked from the state budget, including gross US$13 million for 22,000 elementary school employees and gross US$5.2 million for 8,825 high school employees who worked during the strike. The government is thus implementing its conclusion of June 25. Today's session also discussed Education Ministry reports on the situation in the education system. The reports bring data on teachers' salaries and other material rights, data on budget and gross national product expenditure for education, as well as comparative data on the teachers' obligations and salaries in Western Europe countries. The basic salary in education in relation to corresponding periods last year increased by seven percent as of January 1, 1998, by eight percent as of August 1, 1998, and by ten percent as of October 1, 1998. In December this year the basic salary will have increased by 27.12 per cent in comparison with the same period last year, while between January 1, 1997 and December 1, 1998 it will have marked a total increase of 43.94 per cent. Today the government also adopted principles for drafting a strategy of changing and developing the Croatian schooling system. This will be based on meeting the demands of the third millennium and the inclusion of the Croatian schooling system into international processes, European integration in particular. "Our children learn too much, but too few important things", Premier Zlatko Matesa said, emphasising it was necessary to redefine the knowledge and skills necessary in the next millennium when, he said, people will be Croatia's greatest potential. Deputy Premier Ljerka Mintas-Hodak congratulated the Education Ministry on the detailed reports which, she said, refuted the public claims that the government was doing nothing for education. When compared to ten other countries in transition it is evident that Croatian teachers have much higher salaries, she said, adding it was wrong to state that the Croatian educational system was underestimated. Premier Matesa pointed out that the Croatian state and government had done all that was actually possible to increase the teachers' salaries. (hina) ha 082052 MET oct 98