NEW CYCLE OF REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS OF EDUCATIONAL ADVISORS AND ADVISORS OF EXTERNAL ASSOCIATES FROM ALL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIONS

As part of Component 2 of the Ministry of Education’s project “Inclusive Preschool Education”, the Ministry, in cooperation with UNICEF, organized a new cycle of regional expert consultations of educational advisors, which were joined on this occasion by advisors-external associates (SSS) for preschool education (PVE) from all school administrations (ŠU).

The two-day consultations are planned to strengthen SSS’s capacity to support 25% of preschool institutions (PU) in 2024, through the Action Plan (AP) for implementing the Education Development Strategy 2020-2030.

Considering the existing resources and the size of the PVO system, this is the minimum number of PUs for which mentoring support is planned until the end of 2024.

The consultations, attended by about 120 educational advisors and SSS, were held at 4 locations in 2 terms:

• April 25-26, 2024 in Vrnjačka Banja (Schools: Užice, Čačak, Kraljevo, Kragujevac, and the Novi Pazar group) and in Vranje (Schools: Leskovac, Niš, Kruševac, Jagodina, and Zaječar);

• May 9-10, 2024 in Belgrade (Schools: Belgrade, Valjevo, and Požarevac) and in Irig (Schools: Zrenjanin, Sombor, and Novi Sad).

In order to optimally utilize the joint capacities of all those present at the counseling itself, it was important to carry out certain preparatory activities at the level of the SH and at the level of the selected selected PEs.

Educational counselors at the level of each SH were tasked with agreeing on which PEs, whose practitioners needed priority support for further quality implementation of the Foundations of the Program – The Take-Off Years and improving the quality of work (and that the number of kindergartens falls within the established 25%).

Each SH had autonomy in selecting the PEs for which they would plan mentoring support, and the SSS was also included in the selection. When selecting PEs, the SHs took into account the different lengths of the period of implementation of the new program concept, the size of the preschool institution (number of facilities), whether the PE has a professional associate, and certain specificities in the functioning of the PE.

Given that in each selected PU, support is planned for one facility (kindergarten), the directors of the PU were sent a letter regarding the final selection of a specific facility that will receive support during 2024. They were also helped in this by the format of the “personal identity card” of the PU/facility that they received from the Ministry of Education, which they should fill out as precisely as possible, considering their strengths and needs.

Educational advisors and the Social Security Administration brought the “personal identity card” filled out by the PU to the counseling session so that it would serve as a starting point in planning authentic support for a specific PU, or facility, during their work. They also used the Annual Work Plan and Development Plan of the specific institution (in electronic format) in planning support during the Counseling session itself.

The consultations were conducted at the level of the SH teams (educational advisors and SSS), and then further steps were planned immediately thereafter until the end of 2024, but also later.

During the two days of consultations, in a stimulating and working atmosphere, opportunities were created for professional exchange and joint learning of all those present, which contributed to the development of an authentic concept of mentoring support for each PU – planning activities and the dynamics of mentoring support plans in accordance with the needs of the PU and the resources of the SH.

Colleagues from the Ministry participated in the preparation of the scenario and conducting the Consultation – Jasmina Đelić, Head of the Department for Coordination of the Work of the SH and Vesna Šaponjić, an independent advisor in the same Department.

All participants in the consultation expressed satisfaction after the two-day work during which, in addition to the Department for Coordination of the Work of the SH, they also had the support of representatives of the Project and UNICEF.

Given that further high-quality implementation of the program concept and improvement of the quality of work is a complex, demanding and long-term process that requires further support for practitioners in preschool institutions even after the completion of the Project, the professional and advisory support that can be provided by educational advisors along with advisors – external collaborators in the field of early childhood education is recognized as very important support.

You can view the photos here.