Satisfaction of Preschool and Primary School Teachers with the Support of the Educational System in Providing Equal Educational Opportunities

Pravično i uključivo obrazovanje podrazumijeva spremnost okoline na prilagodbu potrebama sve djece, međusobnu suradnju i komunikaciju koja doprinosi osjećaju pripadnosti i zaokupljenosti obrazovanjem svakog djeteta. Budući da su uključivost i pravičnost apostrofirani u hrvatskoj obrazovnoj i socijalnoj politici, očekuje se njihova implementacija u svim segmentima i aspektima odgojno-obrazovnih ustanova. Cilj ovog istraživanja jest analizirati razinu zadovoljstva odgojitelja i učitelja zakonski predviđenim oblicima podrške djeci te njihovu procjenu doprinosa sastavnica obrazovne politike izjednačavanju obrazovnih mogućnosti sve djece. Korišten je eksplanatorni sekvencijalni nacrt istraživanja. Kvantitativni podaci prikupljeni su na reprezentativnom uzorku 3% odgojitelja i učitelja (N = 1288), a kvalitativni na prigodnom uzorku odgojitelja i učitelja iz šest hrvatskih regija (N = 15). Ispitanici su ispunjavali mrežni Upitnik o mogućnostima prevencije obrazovne nejednakosti djece rane, predškolske i osnovnoškolske dobi te sudjelovali u strukturiranim intervjuima. Utvrđeno je da je većina odgojitelja i učitelja nezadovoljna ili indiferentna u odnosu na zakonski definirane oblike podrške djeci u nepovoljnom položaju i da tek mali broj odgojno-obrazovnih djelatnika prepoznaje doprinos odgojno-obrazovnih politika izjednačavanju odgojno-obrazovnih mogućnosti djece. Rezultati ukazuju na razlike između ranog i predškolskog te osnovnoškolskog odgoja i obrazovanja (razredna i predmetna nastava) u mogućnostima osiguravanja pravičnog i uključivog obrazovanja, što problematizira mogućnosti pružanja primjerene podrške učenju i razvoju djece u nepovoljnom položaju. Pedagoški diskontinuitet na različitim razinama obrazovanja i mehanički pogled kreatora obrazovnih politika na uvođenje promjena koji zanemaruje mogućnosti njihova ostvarivanja u pojedinim odgojno-obrazovnim ustanovama važne su prepreke ostvarivanju uključivog i pravičnog obrazovanja.Equitable and inclusive education requires that the environment is prepared to meet the needs of all children and that cooperation and communication helps to ensure that every child feels a sense of belonging and inclusion in education. As inclusion and equity are apostrophised in the Croatian educational and social policy, their implementation is expected in all areas and aspects of educational institutions. The aim of this research is to analyse the level of satisfaction of preschool and primary school teachers with officially provided forms of support for children and their assessment of the contribution of educational policy components to equality of educational opportunities for all children. An explanatory sequential research design was used. Quantitative data were collected from a representative sample of 3% of educators and primary school teachers (n = 1,288) and qualitative data from a random sample of educators and primary school teachers from 6 Croatian regions (n = 15). Participants completed an online questionnaire on ways to prevent educational inequality among preschool and primary school-aged children and took part in a structured interview. It was found that the majority of preschool and primary school teachers are dissatisfied or indifferent to officially defined forms of support for disadvantaged children and that only a small number of educational professionals recognise the contribution of educational policy to equalising educational opportunities for all children. The findings point to differences between pre-school and primary education (classroom and subject teaching) and the possibility of ensuring equal opportunities and inclusive education. This problematises the possibilities of adequately supporting the learning and development of disadvantaged children. Pedagogical discontinuity at different levels of education and the mechanistic view of educational policy makers on the introduction of change, which ignores the possibilities of its implementation in individual educational institutions, are important obstacles to the realisation of inclusive and equitable education