And what would happen if it were left without teachers, lecturers and professors?
This question arose after a televised showdown between Željko Stipić, president of the Preporod School Union, and Stipe Mamić, state secretary at the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, on HTV.
Stipić announced a strike by teachers, dissatisfied because their salaries were growing less than in other sectors of public services, and Mamić countered by claiming that "their salaries had not grown for 10 years and even grew by a percentage less than they grew in all public services." A teacher's salary increased by 150 euros, a state secretary by 1500 euros. From 2.377 euros to 4.135 euros.
Right and wrong
Trade unionist Stipić emphasized that "the fuel of their dissatisfaction is injustice," and Mamić replied that he was actually a victim of injustice.
And so, we return to the initial question: without whom could Croatia survive, without state secretaries or without teachers?
And an even more important question: what qualifications are needed for the job of state secretary, and what qualifications are needed for the job of teacher, lecturer, or university professor?
The Secretary of State is appointed by political appointment, party affiliation, or coalition agreement. And anyone or anything can do this job.
No one can work as a teacher, lecturer, or professor without the necessary qualifications, education, and knowledge. (Unfortunately, and without the necessary connections for employment.)
What benefit do state secretaries bring to society, and what do teachers, lecturers, and professors bring? So who should we pay more?
Internal motivation
Some critics of trade unionists and educators warn that the job of a teacher is actually a life calling for which there is an internal motivation, and not necessarily a mere desire to make money.
But this should be even more true for all those who work in ministries, who are politically engaged, who are appointed as members of parliament or ministers. They work for the common good, they are committed to the general welfare, and therefore their motivation, engagement and quality of work should not depend on the salary they receive. No one should get rich in public service.
They work for the state, not for themselves.
And besides, state secretaries are there temporarily, for a single mandate, for a specific period of time.
Who is positioned?
Teachers, lecturers and professors are in this job their entire lives. And in that professional life, they deserve to be stimulated and adequately remunerated, not to mention stimulated and respected, so that - to be blunt - they can educate and raise a new and better generation of state secretaries than the ones we have now.
"We simply believe that education is not positioned in Croatian society as it should be," cried unionist Stipić. But the job of state secretary is clearly positioned as the ruling caste wants.
One does not look at the pyramid of importance, but of power.
Public interest
The same goes for members of parliament. Those who promote themselves as MPs who sacrifice their jobs and careers to fight in parliament for citizens and ordinary people, for the country as a whole, vote for themselves higher salaries and thereby send the message that money is what will motivate them to perform their parliamentary duties conscientiously and with quality.
Without that, we would be dragging our feet, avoiding parliamentary debates, and neglecting our obligations.
Let's then project this onto teachers, lecturers and professors, who are expected to perform their job, which many consider more important, more responsible and more beneficial in the long run, conscientiously and with sacrifice for much lower wages and benefits.
These are the criteria that State Secretary Mamić also uses.
It is important that his needs and appetites are satisfied, and then the people who do perhaps the most important work in this society will have their turn.
And once again, what would happen if we were left without state secretaries? Nothing. What would happen if we were left without teachers, lecturers and professors, which we have been witnessing for years? A national catastrophe.
Bonus video:
