Centre for Civic Education (CCE) considers the adoption of the new Government Decree on the “Luča” diploma justified insofar as it aims to protect excellence, which has clearly been called into question over the past decade due to the discrepancy between school grades and results achieved in external knowledge assessments. At the same time, CCE points to those aspects that may undermine this very principle, as excellence must be safeguarded, and the education system must not punish children for human factors that are an integral part of growing up and learning.
Namely, the purpose of this diploma is for it to be awarded to truly excellent students, as a confirmation not only of continuous academic achievement, but also of exceptional performance – that is, as recognition for those who are first among equals, based on the assumption that all awarded top grades are deserved.
Therefore, CCE warns that conditioning the awarding of the “Luča” diploma on excellent performance in the external lower secondary or matriculation examination may be overly strict and may result in injustice towards students whom the education system should recognise, encourage, and reward for years of effort and talent. This criterion is particularly problematic for primary school students, while it may be more justifiable in the case of secondary school graduates.
Excellent students are not immune to stress, anxiety, or fear, and this is even more pronounced at a younger age. A single bad day, a health issue, or psychological pressure can lead to weaker exam performance, thereby effectively negating years of consistent work and achievement due to just a few hours of testing. Such an approach is neither fair nor pedagogically sound, and the “Luča” diploma must be a symbol of knowledge, effort, and excellence, but also of fairness.
A particular concern is the timing of the examinations, which take place in the middle of the school year, when students simultaneously attend regular classes across a large number of subjects (14), take oral examinations, sit written tests and assessments, and acquire new learning material. Under such circumstances, preparation for external knowledge assessment becomes an additional burden, exposing students to excessive pressure during an already demanding period.
The volume of material that needs to be revised and systematised is exceptionally large, while primary school students are required to sit examinations in all subjects over the course of just three days. Such a pace leaves little room for calm and gradual demonstration of knowledge, instead favouring students who perform better under pressure – which does not necessarily mean that they possess greater knowledge.
When a single examination is given decisive weight, the system becomes rigid and disregards a range of important factors, including different learning styles, children’s psychological readiness, and unequal preparation conditions. At the same time, the burden of responsibility is shifted almost entirely onto students, while less attention is paid to the responsibility of the system itself, the support provided by teachers, and the quality of assessment processes throughout schooling.
CCE assesses that external examinations can serve as an important corrective mechanism but must not represent the sole decisive condition for the most prestigious recognition in education. Instead of an exclusively restrictive model, it is necessary to ensure additional support for students in preparing for external assessments, as well as to consider more flexible evaluation models that value continuity of work, rather than performance on a single day alone.