Jožica Pantar, the long-time head of Ljubljana’s Šentvid nursery school, has been given a Republic of Slovenia schooling award for life-time achievement in pre-school education.

In its grounds for presenting the award to Jožica Pintar, the Committee for Republic of Slovenia schooling awards wrote that:

“Jožica Pantar, a graduate in pedagogical counselling and the long-time head of Šentvid kindergarten has, via her knowledge, innovation and dedication to the profession, intervened in every sphere of her working environment and is also well-known in the broader professional community. Her work has contributed to the visibility of nursery schools and pre-school activities in Slovenia and other countries. She has been constantly involved in diverse education and projects at the Head Teachers’ School, the relevant ministry, the National Education Institute, the Faculty of Education in Ljubljana and other institutions at home and abroad. She unceasingly follows her profession, cares for its development, its high professionalism and puts novelties and changes into practice with great professionalism and sensitivity, while transferring her knowledge and enthusiasm to her staff. For 27 years now, her working zeal and perennial pedagogical fire have successfully motivated her staff towards lifelong learning, professional growth and autonomy as well as towards the responsibility that such independence brings, as much as the care for the quality development of pre-school education and for the good of the child in its broadest sense. By joining international projects, she has contributed to the quality lifelong learning of her staff. In 2009, she was the local organiser of an international conference entitled The Learning Teacher Network in Ljubljana, and each year she is also the leader of this project at the kindergarten of which she is the principal. Her expert work, professionalism and rich experience make her an excellent example and mentor to future head teachers. Jožica Pantar’s work has certainly made a significant mark on pre-school education. Special credit must be given to her for her research work in this field and for her development of quality pedagogical practice in Slovenian nursery schools”.

We offer Jožica Pantar our sincere congratulations for this award, which demonstrates the high quality and professionalism of her work, while also proving the quality of Ljubljana’s public kindergartens.