Approval and Textbook

1

• Approval and Textbook
• Policies in Countries of
• western Balkan and Slovenia
• Rok Kvaternik, CEO
• Rokus Klett Publishing Tonsberg,
  Norway
• Ljubljana, Zagreb, Belgrade
  Sept. 7th, 2007

2
What is the IDEAL cooperation between publishers
and the legislator?

• All teaching materials are free of charge for the
  user. At least during the primary education!
  Different ways of financing from the state or
  municipal community take place.
• Textbooks, workbooks, etc. are born without
  limitations about their form, printing, nature of
  the content presentation Multi choice for
  teachers.
• No interference of the legislator. What is
  prescribed are only teaching goals and teachers
  must achieve them. When teachers are trusted to
  do their work,
• than the system is really liberal and
• effective.

3
What is the IDEAL cooperation between publishers
and the legislator? (2)

• In case of rules and regulations set up by the
  legislator, the cooperation between the state and
  publishers is set in a partnership agreement
  atmosphere. Then a serious strategy can be
  applied to satisfy all parties.
• Evolution of teaching goals is the constant
  process and should find a wide consensus between
  the experts in various pedagogical fields.
• New e-content materials need even more
• cooperation between the parties and
  also license agreements

4
Revolution in CROATIA in 2007

• Due to elections that take place in 2 months,
  today Croatian pupils received all textbook sets
  for free from the state
• Investment worth of 40 mil. EUR,
• Capital Zagreb is already paying for years 5 mil.
  EUR,
• What will happen in 2008? Bad past experiences
• Until 2007 the best system (of all) in the
  region, some corruption regarding the approvals.
• Change of the law in 2006, in final stage only 3
  textbooks approved, pressure of the parents.
• No consistency what so ever!

5
TRANSITION in SERBIA

• State agency is still the monopoly publisher,
  they print around 8 mil. books per year,
  private publishers around 1.5 mil.
• 5 years ago, demonopolization started with first
  grade, 6 8 publishers, today 5th grade is
  reformed, but
• Evaluation needed for approval made by Institute
  for psychology Then special evaluators were
  hired, but unbelievably short timing, but
• New legislation is promised, but is written in
  total collision with the interests of the
  monopoly publisher
• Nonsense with the textbooks for minorities, lack
  of
• textbook experts

6
Total CONFUSION in SLOVENIA

• Already in mid 90tees school funds for textbooks
• were introduced, start of interference into the
  production process, no writing into textbooks,
• 1/3 of the trade price is paid to school by the
  parents, also 4 or even 6 years. Schools use this
  money for various purchases. Infringement of
  author rights!
• 3 big publishers, 2 medium 85 of the market,
• New minister in last 3 years started a real war
  against the publishers by canceling the workbooks
  with an excuse that they are left blank at the
  end of the year. What to sell and where to get
  money for development?

7
Total CONFUSION in SLOVENIA (2)

• Hiding behind the autonomy of the teacher as
  ultimate demagogy when knowing she/he is
  trained for 15 years to make a choice on
  textbooks from the official catalogue, published
  by the same ministry,
• No analyses, no expert opinions, just rumors and
  personal disregard lead the ministry to
  legislative moves Long term effects are not
  recognized at all! For the industry this is a
  cataclysmic moment. Specially what will happen in
  2008
• E - content development and implementation
  process of introducing e - learning go into
  totally wrong
• direction.

8
OTHER countries in the region

• Monte Negro as a role model, although without the
  competition.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina under the influence of the
  war and interaction with the international
  community standards.
• Macedonia, Albania

9
Thank you for the attention!Rok Kvaternik,
e-mail adress rok.kvaternik_at_rokus-klett.si
Zaloba Rokus Klett d.o.o., LjubljanaKlett
Verlag d.o.o., ZagrebIzdavacka kuca Klett
d.o.o., Beograd