The most important person at school is the Teacher.
A child’s heart is like a blank page, waiting to be written on.
Who will write on it?

That is important!

Bishop Anton Martin Slomšek, translated from Slovenian by Draga Gelt

SLOVENIAN LECTURERS AND TEACHERS IN AUSTRALIA

“Slovenia is an independent European nation, and despite having a population of only two million, its citizens enjoy a rich culture, language, history and strong sense of nationhood.
During the last two centuries, Slovenes have migrated in large numbers to diverse parts of the globe – the Americas, Canada, throughout Europe, and Australia –  with significant numbers leaving Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia) after the Second World War.
These migrants and refugees have made significant contributions to their new home countries, but have retained strong ties to the language, culture and history of their birth place.
Their intense love for and pride in the country of their youth was best expressed in their mother tongue.
Being able to share in the joy of speaking and listening to familiar words was something they craved also for their children. This intense desire led to the formation of a great number of Slovenian language schools throughout Australia.
In the Chronicle of Slovenian Language Schools and Slovenian Language Teachers in Australia, by Draga Gelt, is a testament to the dedication of all the teachers of Slovenian language, culture and history throughout the past years in Australia.
It is timely to reflect on the selfless efforts of those in our community who have kept our language and culture alive and have given generations of Slovenian-Australian children the rich gift of a second language and culture to draw upon.”

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP
The deputy leader of the opposition and deputy leader of the Labor Party since 2013

Excert from the Introduction to the book Chronicle of Slovenian Language Schools and Slovenian Language Teachers in Australia:

. . . “We encourage you enthusiastically, as you strive in a distant land, to keep alive the spoken and written Slovenian word among the young people who will soon become adults. Your work is especially important because you are inculcating an awareness of one’s roots, the core of a person’s consciousness, part of which is Slovenian.
Through language lessons and cultural performances, you are bringing Slovenia closer to the people in Australia and building bridges between migrants and their native Slovenia. You are making more permanent the bond between people of the same nationality, who cannot even be divided by the oceans.
At the time of publishing the Chronicle of Slovenian Schools and Teachers of Slovenian Language, I wish to thank you for everything that you have done throughout the years of teaching and active participation in preserving the Slovenian language and cultural identity of Slovenian compatriots.”

Acad. Prof Dr Boštjan Žekš, The Minister

The following web pages will introduce Slovenian Lecturers and Teachers in Australia – not only the Slovenian language teachers, but the lecturers and teachers who are very succesful, and well known in the Australian Education System.

According to the research by Draga Gelt, there were 40 Slovenian Language schools in Australia.

    PROF ZLATKO SKRBIŠ

    PROF MARTA SKRBIŠ

    PROF LAURA PREMRL

    PROF LEON KREK

    DR BOGDAN PUŠENJAK

    DR VLADIMIR KOS

    DR STANISLAV FRANK

    ANICA SRNEC BA MA

    ALEXANDRA ČEFERIN MA

    METKA ČUK MA

    VERONIKA SMRDEL ROBERTS MA

    OLGA LAH

   JERNEJA   SVETIČIČ   BSc MSc