15 November 2023 | Zagreb, Croatia [Vanesa Pizzuto]
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, KAC Zagreb Seventh-day Adventist Church members in Croatia noticed that parents and children struggled to adapt to home-schooling. Their solution? Prilaz School; a free after-school tutoring service to support families in their community. With funding from the Croatian Conference and the Trans-European Division, this project swiftly became a reality. Now, a year and a half since its inception, Anja Kovačić, a dedicated teacher at Prilaz School, shares their story.
Vanesa Pizzuto: How did you develop the idea for Prilaz School?
Anja Kovačić: We’ve been working on this project for almost a year and a half. One of our church members realised that kids struggled with homework during the COVID-19 pandemic, and parents were completely overloaded. So, he thought we could offer kids in our neighbourhood a chance to have someone help them with their homework. I am a teacher and was hired to assist students with their reading and studies.
How much do parents pay for the tuition service?
Everything is completely free! Families in the neighbourhood were shocked to find out there was no cost. They would ask, “Really? I don’t need to pay? What do you mean?” And they were pleased when we reassured them. The Croatian Church covers one portion of the cost, and the Trans-European Division (TED) covers the other. We applied for funding from the Mission Board to offer this service for free.
How many students do you have, and how many teachers?
Currently, I have ten students. Last year we had between 15 and 17. Only one of our students is from the church; the rest come from the wider community. I am the only qualified teacher, and a young lady is still in training. Last year, we had another teacher tutoring in physics and mathematics, but unfortunately, she moved away.
What subjects do you offer help with?
I tutor all subjects, but chemistry and physics are not my forte. Most students need help with Maths and Croatian, especially in 7th and 8th grade, because the content is more advanced and challenging.
How do people find you?
We have flyers that we distribute in the community and local schools, and we also share information on social media. One of the educational psychologists from a local school reached out to us after seeing a flyer. She loved the idea and sent us five or six students. Word of mouth also works; we often have students recommending us to other students. For example, we have five students from the same school because they keep talking to each other and recommending it.
What are your dreams for the future of Prilaz School?
We need more teachers to grow, especially now that I’m taking maternity leave. This is a perfect project, and I would love to see it flourish.
[Photos: Vanesa Pizzuto/Adventist Media Exchange, CC BY 4.0]
