President Milanović Receives Croatian Association of School Cooperatives Delegation
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović today received a delegation of the Croatian Association of School Cooperatives (HSUZ) on the occasion of the 34th Festival of School Cooperatives of the Republic of Croatia, which was held in Vinkovci last September under the auspices of President Milanović.
The Festival of School Cooperatives of the Republic of Croatia, where the work of the best student cooperatives is presented each year, is the leading event organized by the Croatian Association of School Cooperatives in cooperation with the Education and Teacher Training Agency. Association representatives presented the school cooperatives and explained that their operations in primary and secondary schools, as well as special education institutions, are the only extracurricular manufacturing activities, where pupils spend their free time in an organized and creative manner under the guidance of teachers and mentors.
The four main areas in which the school cooperatives are involved are agricultural production, producing useful and decorative items, nurturing national art, handicrafts and old crafts, but also research work. The pupils present their work at various fairs and events on the school, town, county and national levels, and at international fairs, it was said at the meeting. Parallel to the numerous activities and goals of school cooperatives, those that are of educational and entrepreneurial character were highlighted as the most important.
The Croatian Association of School Cooperatives was founded in 2006 and it organizes and coordinates the work and activities of 672 members, i.e. school cooperatives from all over Croatia that are active within 21 HSUZ county branches. Therefore, the meeting with President Milanović was also attended by the heads of county branches Darinka Balen, Brankica Zbanatski, Željka Kleković Brajenovič, Jasminka Alinčić, Snježana Hranić, Oliver Sakač, Tatjana Lulić Prpić, Sanja Grbeš, Radmila Divić Posavac, Željkica Aralica, Milena Mikulandra, Josipa Banić, Dijana Ančić, Margita Žiković and Marija Cik – apart from Association President Dragica Benčik, Secretary Blanka Horvat, Vice President Silvana Šebalj-Mačkić, Assistant Secretary Martina Švarbić and Expert Associate Domagoj Bajtal.
Adviser to the President of the Republic for Education Jadranka Žarković was alongside President Milanović.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas