On 27 September 2023, Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina visited Minister Dr Darjo Felda. They primarily discussed upbringing that would result in respectful communication and a greater sense of empathy, but also talked about providing an encouraging learning environment. Dr Vinko Logaj, the Director of the National Education Institute, also participated at the meeting.
They exchanged views and positions about the education of young people about working with older people. Even though content addressing the attitude towards older people appears in the expert part of the curriculum only in healthcare education, they all believed that efforts to raise children to become empathic adults need to start from the early stage of schooling, so that people know how to cooperate and solve conflicts, accept differences, and how to communicate respectfully.
Dr Vinko Logaj stressed that within the curriculum overhaul, joint goals that address the above-mentioned content will also be important. Didactic recommendations and training of expert workers for the realisation of renewed syllabuses will also play an important role, he added.
The participants presented to Ombudsman Svetina the efforts of the Working Group for the preparation of the National Programme of Education 2023–2033, within which the subgroup Provision of a Safe and Encouraging Environment for the Optimal Development of an Individual also addresses content that was the subject of this discussion, such as prevention of violence and promoting social and emotional learning, education of Roma people, and upbringing programmes. They also introduced a few emphases from the public presentation of opinions about ensuring a safe and encouraging learning environment.
In their debate they also touched upon the rights of expert workers and headteachers, the significance of youth volunteering, the inspection of school bags, the role of the educational plan in schools and kindergartens, textbook material, and other topics that are dealt with by the Ombudsman and pertain to education.
Source: MIZŠ
