Earlier today, the Minister of Education Branko Ruzic and the Mayor of Kragujevac, Nikola Dasic, have signed an Agreement on the construction of a new kindergarten, in the Kragujevac settlement Erdec, with a capacity of 270 places.

The new facility will cover 1700m2, its construction will be financed by the Ministry of Education with the support of the World Bank, while the local self-government will provide the land and communal infrastructure, permits, supervision.

Minister of Education Branko Ruzic emphasized that only by building new and expanding the existing capacities of kindergartens the preconditions can be created for even more children to be included in preschool education.

“That is why the project was launched with the support of the World Bank, which provides 11,000 new places by building new kindergartens, upgrading and adapting existing facilities throughout Serbia,” said the minister.

He explained that 12 kindergartens have been built or started under the “Inclusive Preschool Education” Project and added that about 200 million dinars will be invested in the construction of kindergartens in Kragujevac.

“The need for new kindergartens in Kragujevac has existed for years. We solved that problem, like most other cities and municipalities in Serbia, by financing the stay of children in about twenty private kindergartens, and we are talking about 2700 kids. Even so, on average between 700 and 800 children remain below the line. That is why this is a very important day for Kragujevac, because we are one step closer to abolishing the waiting list,” said the mayor of Kragujevac, Nikola Dasic.

The construction of a new building in Kragujevac is part of the “Inclusive Preschool Education” project, which is implemented by the Ministry of Education with the support of the World Bank, and aims to improve the availability of preschool education and education, as well as the quality and conditions. So far, the construction of kindergartens in Sremska Mitrovica, Zitoraza, Doljevac, Merosina, Loznica, two in Krusevac, Vladicin Han, Prokuplje, Tutin, Smederevo, and Sid have been completed or started. In addition to the kindergarten in Kragujevac, the construction of facilities in Novi Pazar and Petrovac na Mlavi is about to begin. An important aspect of the project is the inclusion of children from the earliest age, as well as the education of parents on this issue. The project has been implemented since 2018 and is worth 47 million euros.

You can see other photos here.

27.03.2023. Belgrade – As part of the “Inclusive preschool education and care” project, today, March 27, 2023, protocols on cooperation were signed between the Ministry of Education, the Faculty of Teacher Education at the University of Belgrade, the College of Vocational Studies for Teachers and Business Informatics – Sirmium from Sremska Mitrovica, PU “Bosko Buha”, Palilula – Belgrade and PU “Pcelica”, Sremska Mitrovica.

Within the framework of important reform processes in the system of preschool upbringing and education, initiated by the introduction of the new program concept ” Years of Ascent”, the Ministry of Education, through the project “Inclusive preschool education and care”, provides support for improving the initial education of educators. The goal of these activities is based on the understanding of initial education as the starting point of the quality process of professional development of educators, and therefore as the starting point for the development of quality practice in preschool institutions.

The signing ceremony was attended by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Zoran Kasalovic, the Dean of the Faculty of Teachers, Danimir Mandic, the director of the High School – Sirmium, Dejan Savicevic, the director of the “Bosko Buha” PU, Jovana Radivojevic and the director of the “Pcelica” PU, Biljana Cvijetic.

“We all approached this process of change with enthusiasm, faith in our competencies, as well as a willingness to learn, change, develop, and build conditions for the well-being of all children.” We expect that this type of support for the reform of the initial education of educators provided by the Ministry will provide even more positive answers to the needs of the practice and changes in the system of preschool education and care, as well as the education system as a whole,” said Kasalovic.

Based on the prepared Methodology for the review and analysis of study programs, on a sample consisting of all public faculties and colleges for teacher education, data was collected, and a Report on the analysis of compliance of the content and outcomes of the key subjects of the study programs with the Teacher Competence Standards and the valid legal and by-law regulations in this area was created. (Fundamentals of the program, Competence standards, Strategy for developing the education system until 2030).

The results of the Analysis Report served as the basis for the preparation of the following:

1. Draft recommendations for adapting the study program/course in accordance with the Competence Standards for the profession of teacher and its professional development and the Basics of the preschool education program and

2. Draft recommendations for implementing professional practice in the training room, in cooperation between a higher education institution and a preschool institution: Changing the relationship between theory and practice in the initial education of teachers “PROTOTIP”.

In cooperation with the PU, the piloting activities of the two above-mentioned Drafts are underway, which are being successfully implemented in 2 higher education institutions and 2 preschool institutions that are signatories to the Protocol.

You can see other photos here.