The Dubrovnik City Council has approved an increase in hourly wages for assistants working with children with developmental difficulties in preschools and primary schools. Their pay will now stand at €9 gross per hour – the highest rate in Croatia.
This marks the third wage increase since 2022. The previous rate was €7.70 gross, which at the time was already among the highest in the country.
The move follows the introduction of the new Rulebook on Teaching Assistants and Expert Communication Intermediaries in July 2024, which set a national minimum hourly rate of €7.50 gross. Assistants in Dubrovnik subsequently requested another raise, which Mayor Mato Franković supported.
“Given the importance of this work, the responsibility assistants carry when working with children with difficulties, and the current labour market situation in Dubrovnik, we reached an agreement to increase the wage. The goal is to give this noble profession the recognition it deserves and make it more attractive amid the shortage of workers,” the City Council stated.
Mayor Franković added that the decision also ensures that every child who requires an assistant will have access to one. “The level of pay determines whether people are interested in this job and whether the profession is treated with the respect it deserves. This decision once again demonstrates the City’s social sensitivity and care for those in need,” he told councillors.
The number of engaged assistants in Dubrovnik has been steadily rising. In the last school year, there were 79 assistants in primary schools, with 92 expected this year. Preschools currently employ 46 assistants, bringing the total number across the city’s education system to 138.
Funding for assistants in primary schools is partly covered by the European Social Fund, while assistants in preschools are fully financed by the City of Dubrovnik’s budget.