Abstract

The extended-day school program and whole-day classes are increasingly present in primary schools in Croatia, including the city of Split. For this reason, its realization is a frequent topic of discussion among key stakeholders in the country. Socioeconomic aspects of the program include questions about the structure of enrolled students and about the effectiveness of the program. The aim of this article is to research the socioeconomic aspects of the extended-day program and whole-day classes within primary schools in the city of Split, Croatia, from the perspective of teachers who work in the program. The changes within the school system due to the introduction of the experimental whole-day school pilot program were also analyzed. Through the set goals, the role of teachers in the program and their satisfaction with the program itself, as well as the socioeconomic structure of the students included in the program, were researched. The research was conducted from June to September 2023 using the methods of content analysis and semi-structured interviews. The results of the research show that teachers are highly satisfied with the implementation of the program. The structure of enrolled children is most often related to the financial capabilities of the parents. The findings of analyzed media articles indicated the negative perspectives of the interested public regarding the introduction of an experimental program of whole-day school from the 2023/2024 school year. The intention of introducing the program in as many schools as possible should reduce socioeconomic inequalities and improve working conditions in Croatian schools.