OGP Sustainability (HR0040)

ASSURING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE OPEN GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE
Implementation of the measure began on 1 May 2018 and will continue until 31 December 2019
Leader of the measure MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
Description of the measure
Which public issue does the measure address? The measure aims to increase the level of informedness on the goals of
the multilateral OGP Initiative, with a special emphasis on including
topics related to the importance of transparency, the fight against
corruption, and empowering citizens to use modern ITC technology, so
that public authority bodies at all levels will be enabled to function more
efficiently and with greater accountability. This will create the
prerequisites for the more efficient and innovative provision of public
services, that is, the management of public services, in the interest of
citizens in the education system.
What does the measure include? The measure includes inserting content linked to measures and activities
conduction within the multilateral OGP Initiative throughout the entire
curricular reforms for early and preschool, primary and secondary
education, with a special emphasis on the interdisciplinary Civic
Education and the curricular Politics and Economics subjects;
Competition for the award of non-returnable funds for projects by
associations in the area of children's and youth education outside
institutions; Including topics from the multilateral OGP Initiative in the
ongoing professional development of teachers and support staff; and
Including topics from the multilateral OGP Initiative in competitions and
festivals organised by the Education and Teacher Training Agency.
How does the measure contribute to resolving the public
issue?
The measure aims to increase the level of informedness on the goals
and values of the multilateral OGP Initiative among pupils, teachers and
support staff, and promote the active involvement of young people in
conducting activities linked to the OGP.
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Why is this measure relevant to the values of the Open
Government Partnership?
The measure is relevant in general to informing young people about the
goals of the multilateral OGP Initiative and the importance of including
young people/citizens in its implementation in terms of education
(informing them about the goals, importance, and need to actively include
citizens).
Additional information The measure will be conducted within the framework of budget funds
allocated for the Ministry of Science and Education and the Education
and Teacher Training Agency.
Activities Implementation start date Implementation end date
15.1. Including the values and contents on which
the OGP Initiative is founded in the curricula for
Civic Education and Politics and Economics
May 2018 December 2019
Contact information
Person responsible in the body which is Leader of the
measure
Darko Tot
Function, department Head of Sector for Supporting the System and European Union
programmes
Email and telephone Darko.Tot@mzo.hr, +385 1 4594 446
Other participants
involved
State participants Education and Teacher Training Agency
OGP Initiative
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NGOs, private sector,
multilaterals, working groups

15. OGP Sustainability

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan:

"Measure 15. Assuring the Sustainability of the Open Government Partnership Initiative" [148]

"The measure aims to increase the level of informedness on the goals and values of the multilateral OGP Initiative among pupils, teachers and support staff, and promote the active involvement of young people in conducting activities linked to the OGP. (…)

The measure will be conducted within the framework of budget funds allocated for the Ministry of Science and Education and the Education and Teacher Training Agency."

Milestones:

15.1. Including the values and contents on which the OGP Initiative is founded in the curricula for Civic Education and Politics and Economics

Values and contents on which the OGP Initiative is founded, included in the curricula for Civic Education and Politics and Economics, particularly in the areas of anti-corruption, exercising the right to access information, and the inclusion and participation of citizens in decision-making processes.

Start date: 1 May 2018

End date: 31 December 2019

Context and Objectives

This commitment introduces open government values in the civic education curriculum. Civic education in Croatia has been highly debated for years, as evidenced by the fact that the same commitment was included in the second OGP national action plan. [149] CSOs dealing with human rights, anti-discrimination, anti-corruption, openness, and transparency advocated for civic education [150] to be introduced into schools as soon as possible. Pilot projects were launched [151] and good practices were used to improve the proposed curriculum. The program was originally expected to be a new school subject in September 2014, but this changed when a new Minister of Science, Education and Sport took office in June 2014; topics intended to be taught as a single subject are now cross-curricular. Several government and policy changes in 2016 [152] delayed implementation of the new curricula in schools, especially civic education.

According to independent studies [153] and CSO advocacy platforms such as the GOOD initiative, [154] civic education in Croatia is currently sporadic, without systematic efforts to include all school children; research suggests that Croatian youth deviate in a worrisome manner from the ideals of democratic political culture. [155]

The commitment includes OGP content into civic education curriculum for primary and secondary schools, and politics and economics curriculum in secondary schools. This will include anti-corruption, right of access to information, and civic participation in decision-making processes. Activities are more detailed than the OGP education commitment in the last action plan and include the following:

• Including content linked to OGP in the comprehensive curricular reform for early and preschool, primary and secondary education, with special emphasis on the interdisciplinary Civic Education and the Politics and Economics courses;
• Public call for proposals for CSO-led projects in the field of youth extra-institutional education;
• Including topics from OGP in continuing professional development for teachers and support staff;
• Including topics from OGP in competitions and festivals organised by the Education and Teacher Training Agency.

According to representative of the Ministry, [156] and confirmed by members of CSOs, [157] OGP values were included in the cross-curricular civic education course [158] and in the politics and economics course, [159] which will be taught to 490,000 students. Other mentioned activities are underway. However, the GOOD Initiative warns that with these changes, students’ education in civics, politics, and economics will be further condensed, exacerbating programs that have already been underdeveloped in the last four years of implementation; the commitment is therefore "a step back." [160]

This commitment is specific and verifiable and clearly directed toward increasing civic participation through civic education for youth. This commitment has a minor potential impact as the cross-curricular approach is a watered down version of the commitment from the second OGP action plan.

Next steps

The IRM researcher suggests that the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport considers the following recommendations:

• The government should implement this commitment as envisaged, while striving to uphold all achieved democratic standards regarding transparent decision-making, respect for legal procedures, upholding the value of civic participation and accountability (this action plan); and
• The Ministry of Science, Education and Sports could use results from this plan’s implementation to decide whether the chosen (cross-curricular) approach to civic education is optimal. Adjustments can then be made in the next plan.

15. OGP Sustainability

Completion: Substantial

As planned, and according to the representative of the Ministry of Science and Education, ^[86] and several leading CSOs for education-related issues, ^[87] the cross-curricular Civic Education course, ^[88] and the Politics and Economics course ^[89] curriculum in 2019 included OGP-related topics and values. They will be taught to 490,000 primary and secondary school students, and other mentioned activities are underway. ^[90] OGP-relevant topics include human rights, responsibility and active citizenship, corruption risks and fighting corruption, financial, digital, and media literacy, technology, and ICT. However, the GOOD Initiative ^[91] warns that with making it a cross-curricular topic rather than an individual course, students will receive watered down content of a program that has already been underdeveloped, making it “a step back.” ^[92] The Education and Teacher Training Agency plans to continue professional development activities from cross-curricular topics through collaborative planning, teaching and learning, and regular integration of OGP-values related topics.