Career Advancement of Teachers in Primary Education – Challenges and Opportunities for Enhancing Professional Development in the Republic of Croatia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46793/Rev26114.56MAbstract
Teachers’ professional development is one of the key factors contributing to the quality of the edu
cational process, while opportunities for career advancement provide an important incentive for their con
tinuous professional improvement and competence development. This paper examines the system of career
advancement for teachers in primary education, with particular emphasis on the challenges teachers face in
pursuing their professional development. It analyses opportunities for advancement, criteria for evaluating
professional performance, and the role of professional development, mentoring, and support provided by
educational institutions in developing teachers’ competencies. Particular attention is devoted to administrative
burdens, access to professional development opportunities, teacher motivation, and the transparency and
fairness of promotion procedures. The paper highlights the need for a more systematic approach to professional
development that would more closely link teachers’ career advancement to their actual needs, the quality of
their work, and their contribution to school development. Potential improvements include more flexible forms
of professional development, higher-quality mentoring, continuous monitoring of professional growth, and the
establishment of a more supportive and equitable promotion system. The aim of this paper is to contribute to
a better understanding of the importance of teachers’ professional development and to identify opportunities
for improving the existing mechanisms of career advancement in primary education in the Republic of Croatia.
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