Ivana Bašić Takes the Helm at Primorje Elementary School
A teacher with international accolades and the title of Excellent Advisor brings optimism and the opportunity to transform the school into a center of educational excellence.
A teacher with international accolades and the title of Excellent Advisor brings optimism and the opportunity to transform the school into a center of educational excellence.
Primorje Elementary School in Smokovljani has a new principal, Ivana Bašić, whose impressive résumé and international recognition are generating great optimism among staff, parents, and the entire local community. Her arrival marks the end of a prolonged period without a permanent solution at the school's helm.
Ivana Bašić, a master of primary education with the highest professional title of Excellent Advisor, built her rich pedagogical experience at Opuzen Elementary School. Her innovative approach to teaching and dedication to students have been recognized far beyond Croatia's borders.
In 2019, she gained worldwide recognition by ranking among the top 100 teachers globally and winning the prestigious Global Teacher Award. This award is presented by the Indian organization Alert Knowledge Services (AKS), and Bašić was selected from a pool of educators from over 70 countries. What makes this particularly intriguing is that her nomination was supported by education experts from ten different countries through written recommendations.
Her engagement does not stop there. Due to her commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development, in 2020 she received the Global Teacher Award Environment Teacher, presented by the Swedish organization Eco Training Center.
However, the crowning achievement of her career in Croatia is the Ivan Filipović Award, the highest state honor for exceptional achievements in education. This recognition is jointly presented by the Ministry of Science and Education and the Croatian Parliament. Beyond her classroom work, Bašić is also active in shaping national education policy as a member of the Governing Council of the National Center for External Evaluation of Education (NCVVO), to which she was appointed by the Government of the Republic of Croatia.
The combination of proven pedagogical excellence from the classroom and strategic thinking at the national level promises to transform Primorje Elementary School into a modern and stimulating environment. After a period of uncertainty, students and staff in Smokovljani are now entering a phase where the school can become a prominent center of educational quality and a hub of social engagement in the local community.
