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.

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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.

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In the period March 8 – 10, 2023, another professional consultation of educational advisors was held in Nis on the topic of Quality assurance of the methodology of external evaluation of preschool institutions, this time for educational advisors from school administrations: Nis, Kragujevac, Leskovac, Krusevac, Zajecar and Jagodina (30 participants).

Bearing in mind the fact that from September 1, 2022, all PI are obliged to implement the new program concept, as well as the fact that the Quality Framework adopted in 2018 has been revised (it meets the requirements of the new program concept) and so far did not apply, the key activity in the counseling was a full-day educational counselors visit to one of the kindergartens of PU “Pcelica” in Nis (kindergartens “Brodic”, “Plavi cuperak”, “Petar Pan” and “Cvrcak”). Divided into 4 groups (of 7 – 8 counselors each), they had the opportunity to apply the revised Quality Framework and as “critical friends” gain insight into the quality of kindergarten work in two quality areas: Educational work and Support for children in the family.

On the first day of counseling, the educational counselors prepared for the visit to the kindergarten through the presentation of forms for observing activities in the kindergarten and a package of additional instruments and auxiliary materials, created within the Project (in accordance with the Rulebook on the quality standards of the institution’s work). They also created an activity plan with the division of responsibilities in order to provide feedback to the kindergarten manager from the role of “critical friend” who will objectively assess the quality of the kindergarten’s work. Part of the preparation included familiarization with the specifics of the kindergarten they will visit, as well as research reading of 4 manuals/guides created to support practitioners in the quality application of the new program concept: A manual for documentation, a Guide for arranging the space in the kindergarten, Guide for developing the topic/project with children, Strategy of joint development of programs in accordance with the specificities of certain ages of children.

On the second day of counseling, during the visit to the kindergarten, the educational counselors went in pairs to 2 groups of children of different ages in which they followed the implementation of the educational work program, i.e. the work of the teacher in the group, and gave them brief feedback. After that, they visited the common areas of the kindergarten (exterior and interior), analyzed pedagogical documentation (Thematic/project portfolio and Children’s portfolio), conducted interviews with professional associates and managers, teachers, and parents, and distributed surveys to them. Before leaving, kindergarten representatives were given feedback on the quality of kindergarten work for two areas.

On the third day of counseling, educational counselors worked on harmonizing assessments at the level of standards and indicators in two areas of work quality, analyzing the results of surveys and interviews, triangulating quality evidence at the area level, and drafting a report on the evaluation of work quality for each kindergarten.

After finalizing the report, upon returning to the school administrations, the heads of the school administrations will send the reports to each of the 4 kindergartens, in the role of a “critical friend” who provides a different perspective on the work of the institution, and which can be useful to practitioners in a more objective assessment of the quality of work.

All counseling participants expressed their satisfaction after the three-day work, during which they had the support of 4 mentors/leaders for the implementation of OP.

Bearing in mind that the implementation of the new program concept is a complex, demanding, and long-term process in which further support is needed for practitioners in preschool institutions even after the end of the Project, professional and advisory support that can be provided by educational advisors is recognized as a very important support.

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Within the project of the Ministry of Education, Inclusive preschool education and care, which is supported by a loan from the World Bank, in cooperation with the UNICEF Office in Belgrade, which is engaged as an implementation partner, a program is being developed and implemented to support the strengthening of capacities for the implementation of the new Foundations of Preschool Education Program, which includes combined training, mentoring support and horizontal learning for employees in preschool institutions, as well as professional counseling of educational advisors and inspectors, but also online training for professional associates and teachers from primary schools. The project is planned to include 1,300 professional associates from primary schools, but the rational allocation of funds has enabled the training to be carried out for 3,000 participants so that by the end of the Project, it will include professional associates (pedagogues and psychologists) and heads of professional councils from all public elementary schools in the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

The online training “On the common path of learning” was developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the Institute for the Improvement of Education and Training, and UNICEF. The training is free of charge and accredited by the decision of the minister as training of public interest, and it takes place on the platform for conducting public interest training – ZUOVEdu. The organizer of the training is the Institute for the Improvement of Education.

The aim of the online training “On a common path of learning” is to empower professional associates and teachers in primary schools to strengthen the partnership between the two levels of the education system (preschool and primary school) through understanding the changes in preschool education (introduction of the new Foundations of PVO program, Years of Ascent), stronger connection and recognition of common values ​​in building support for children and families during the transition from kindergarten to school. The strategy for the development of education in the Republic of Serbia until 2030 implies the further development of the PVO system to meet the needs of children and families as support for the well-being and overall development of children through, among other things, achieving smooth transitions, i.e. ensuring the continuity of experiences of children and families in the educational context and developing relationships with other parts of the education system (schools), the community (institutions of culture, health, social protection), local self-government and the wider social community.

The specific objectives of the training are:

1. Empowering professional associates and teachers in primary schools to support children and families during the transition period from preschool to primary school and developing a partnership relationship with the family.
2. Informing professional associates in primary schools about the concept, starting points, and key concepts of the basis of the PVO ” Years of Ascent” program.
3. Motivating professional associates in primary schools to promote the school as a place of research and learning for children of preschool and school age.

After completing the training, participants receive a certificate for 24 hours of professional development

The authors of the training are Dr. Vesna Colic, professor of vocational studies at the College of Vocational Studies for Teacher Education in Novi Sad, trainer and mentor for the implementation of the “Years of Ascent” PVO Basics program, Dr. Sanja Blagdanic, full professor at the Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Belgrade, and Katarina Djuric, graduate psychologist ‒ professional associate at the Cukarica Preschool in Belgrade, trainer and mentor for the implementation of the Foundations of the PVO “Years of Ascent” program.

The first cycle of the training for 866 participants from the ranks of professional associates from elementary schools and heads of expert councils for classroom teaching was successfully implemented in December 2022 with an average training grade of 3.56. Another training cycle with 1017 participants was successfully completed on March 13th. By the end of May, it is planned for another 1,000 participants to be included in the training.

We expect that the training will further empower practitioners from primary schools to plan high-quality joint activities in cooperation with teams of preschool institutions and enable smooth transitions from one level of education to another for children and families.