The Ministry of Education, within the framework of the “Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care” project, provides support for improving the initial training of preschool teachers as part of the reform processes in the preschool education system initiated by the introduction of the new preschool education program concept – “Godine uzleta”.

To present the results of previous activities in supporting the enhancement of the quality of initial training for preschool teachers and particularly to consider the Proposal for Revision of Standards for Accreditation of Study Programs for Training Preschool Teachers, a Professional Consultation was held on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade, Mihajla Pupina 2 Bulevard. The consultation included members of the National Accreditation Body (NAB) and the Commission for Accreditation and Quality Assurance (CAQA).

The consultation was opened with an introductory address by the Assistant Minister for Preschool and Primary Education, Dr. Milan Pasic.

“The aim of Component 2 is to improve the quality of preschool upbringing and education through activities that strengthen the competencies of practitioners for the application of the new program basis, enhance initial training and professional development of preschool teachers, and improve the quality evaluation of preschool institutions.

We face the challenge of stabilizing and further developing the changes we have jointly initiated, as well as ensuring that the initial training of preschool teachers keeps pace with the changes required of practitioners in accordance with the Standards of Competence for the Profession of Preschool Teachers.”

Assistant Minister for Higher Education, Dr. Aleksandar Jovic, spoke about supporting the improvement of initial training through the Project.

“In the previous period, we initiated activities to enhance the initial training of preschool teachers, particularly in segments related to the implementation of professional practice in training schools in collaboration with higher education institutions and preschools. This includes aligning study programs/courses with the Standards of Competence for the Profession of Preschool Teachers and their professional development, in close cooperation with representatives of higher education institutions that train preschool teachers and preschools where they perform and further develop their complex professional roles.”

Following the introductory addresses, project consultants Dr. Vesna Colic, Professor of Professional Studies at the College of Professional Studies for Preschool Teacher Education in Novi Sad, and Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Stojanovic from the Faculty of Teacher Education at the University of Belgrade, briefly acquainted the participants with the project results to date and presented the Proposal for Revision of the Standards for Accreditation of Study Programs for Preschool Teacher Education.

A discussion on the presented Proposal then followed. The first to join the discussion was Prof. Dr. Milorad Milovančević, President of the National Accreditation Body. He emphasized that the consultants (Prof. Dr. Zivka Krnjaja, Dr. Vesna Colic, and Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Stojanovic) had done a complex and quality job (Recommendations for aligning study programs, a student practice model in training schools – Prototype) aimed at improving the initial training of preschool teachers, including the Proposal for Revision/Amendment of the Standards for Accreditation of Study Programs. Dr. Branko Boskovic, Professor of Professional Studies, agreed and added that this is not a revision of the Standards, but an improvement.

Other participants – members of the National Accreditation Body, Ministry representatives, professors from colleges and faculties that train preschool teachers, and a representative of practitioners from preschool institutions – expressed positive opinions regarding the presented results. It was concluded that after the Consultation, the improved Standards, i.e., additional guidelines for the application of standards related to preschool teacher education, would be sent to CAQA for further implementation.

The consultation was moderated by Biljana Kojovic, coordinator of component 2 of the Project.

Today in Alibunar, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of a new kindergarten as part of the “Poletarac” Preschool Institution.

The construction of the new facility will provide 220 new places for children from the Alibunar municipality, divided into 11 groups. The investment is worth over 150 million dinars, and the kindergarten will cover an area of approximately 1,450 square meters.

“By constructing new, and upgrading, adapting, and equipping existing facilities, the Ministry of Education is working to expand the capacity of preschool institutions across Serbia, thereby supporting parents, children, and local governments. It is important to include as many children as possible in preschool education. We pay special attention to improving the quality of the preschool education system,” said Minister of Education Prof. Dr. Slavica Djukić Dejanović, adding that special attention is paid to improving the quality of the preschool education system.

“By laying the foundation stone for the new kindergarten, we are entering the realization phase of the most important project in the Municipality of Alibunar. Our youngest citizens will finally have an adequate space for growth and education, which will support families, parents, and new generations who are our future. Through the realization of this project, as well as others that we are implementing, the Municipality of Alibunar strives to create an environment where children will have all the conditions for a safe and happy childhood. This is a joint success, and I want to thank the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Education for their support in the implementation of this project,” said the President of the Municipality of Alibunar, Zorana Bratić.

The construction of new kindergartens is being carried out as part of the “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project, which the Ministry of Education is implementing with the support of the World Bank. The aim of the project is to increase the coverage of children in the preschool education system and to improve its quality. Improving the quality of the preschool education system is being achieved through training and mentoring support, which has so far involved over 20,000 educators, as well as through the implementation of new program foundations. An important aspect of the project is the inclusion of children in the preschool education system from an early age, especially those from socially vulnerable groups.

You can see the photos here.

Minister of Education Prof. Dr. Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, together with the President of the Municipality of Tutin Bajro Gegic, officially opened the new “Sunce” Kindergarten in Tutin, in the Svracici neighborhood. The kindergarten spans approximately 1,000 square meters and will provide 100 new places for children, divided into 5 groups. The construction of the kindergarten, part of the “Habiba Stočević” Preschool Institution, cost over 102 million dinars.

“By building this new kindergarten, we are supporting primarily the children in the municipality of Tutin, the local government, and parents. Children are the source of our future, and including them in the preschool education system is crucial for healthy and happy growth, as well as a foundation for a better future. Through the “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project, we plan to provide 11,000 new places in 22 local governments across Serbia,” said Minister of Education Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic Dejanovic.

The Ministry of Education, within the framework of the “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project, is focusing not only on expanding capacity through the construction of new and adaptation of existing facilities but also on improving the quality of the preschool education system and including children from socially vulnerable groups. Accordingly, the Ministry of Education conducted training for employees in preschool institutions in the municipality of Tutin. To ensure adequate conditions for quality work with children, additional funds were invested in the procurement of ICT equipment worth around 387 thousand dinars, and approximately 350 thousand dinars were allocated for the procurement of low mobile furniture. President of the Municipality of Tutin Bajro Gegić thanked the Ministry of Education and the Government of the Republic of Serbia for recognizing the need and significance of building this kindergarten.

“Thank you for recognizing the importance of this facility and for being here with us today. We see this as a personal commitment from you, as well as from the Government of the Republic of Serbia, to equally provide better living conditions and a more promising future for all citizens in all areas. By building this facility, we have provided our children and employees with excellent conditions for work and stay. Importantly, with the construction of this kindergarten, we are eliminating waiting lists,” stated Bajro Gegić.

Minister Djukic Dejanovic also visited the kindergarten construction site in Novi Pazar, which will provide an additional 270 new places for preschool children upon completion.

The Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the World Bank and with the support of local governments, is working on expanding the reach of children in the preschool education system as part of the “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project. This Project not only focuses on expanding capacity but also pays special attention to improving the quality of preschool education through the introduction of new program foundations and the skills and knowledge of professional staff through mentoring support and training for over 20,000 educators. A significant aspect of the program is the inclusion of children from an early age, as well as raising awareness and educating parents on this issue. The project is valued at 47 million euros.

You can see the photos here.

As part of the “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project implemented by the Ministry of Education, funded by a World Bank loan, two classrooms and one nursery room have been equipped in the “Bajka” Preschool in Ivanjica.

The “Bajka” Preschool in Ivanjica has been continuously providing educational services for more than forty years since its establishment in 1981, in a facility built in the same year.

For the 2023/2024 school year, a total of 254 children have been enrolled, with 236 children in full-day care and 18 children in half-day care. In recent years, the institution has faced a shortage of space for accommodating children. The number of newborns is increasing year by year, leading to greater demand for kindergarten enrollment. In the latest enrollment period, 40 nursery-aged children remained on the waiting list.

Over the decades, the institution has been renovated according to its capabilities and through participation in various projects. Adaptations have been made, and capacities for receiving children have been expanded. In the last ten years, the Municipality of Ivanjica has faced two major floods that did not spare the kindergarten. In 2023, the existing facility was reconstructed in cooperation with the founder, involving the renovation of a purchased building and its conversion for kindergarten purposes. It was necessary to furnish two classrooms, one nursery group, and a multipurpose hall that meets all prescribed standards.

The significance of the Ministry of Education’s “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project, which equipped the classrooms in the institution, is immensely valuable as it collectively ensures quality conditions, a healthy environment, and space for every child attending the institution. This contributes to the development of both body and mind, education, progress, and ultimately a happier childhood and the best foundation for the future.

A total of three rooms in the “Bajka” facility have been fully equipped with furniture, didactic materials, and toys that meet the needs and age of the children in the respective groups.

With seventy children admitted to the newly opened facility, the number of children on the waiting list has been reduced. This Project has improved working conditions, benefiting the children’s well-being.

Recently, the institution has received support from the Ministry of Education in the form of furniture, didactic materials, and ICT equipment. You can see the photos here.

As part of the ” Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project implemented by the Ministry of Education with a World Bank loan, 9 rooms have been adapted and 13 rooms equipped at the “Lane” Preschool in Aleksinac Municipality.

The “Lane” Preschool in Aleksinac, in accordance with the Law on Social Care for Children, the Law on the Basics of the Education System, and the Law on Preschool Education, as well as the Rulebook on the Basics of the Preschool Education Program and the “Godine uzleta” program, provides organized education and care, nutrition, health care, and daily rest and recreation for children.

The main activity of the institution is realized through full-day care from nursery to the Preparatory Preschool Program (PPP), a 4-hour Preparatory Preschool Program, and mixed groups for 4 hours as permanent forms of work, as well as through various types of special and other forms of work and services. The municipality of Aleksinac consists of 72 settlements, which presents a significant challenge for the institution and its founder, the Aleksinac Municipal Assembly, to ensure a network of facilities that enable comprehensive preschool education. Since its founding in 1978, a network of facilities has been created to allow as many children as possible to attend preschool education. In the 2023/2024 school year, the institution operates 25 facilities, 5 in the city and 20 in rural areas, with a total of 50 groups. For years, the lack of space for accommodating children has been an issue, and currently, 120 children are on the waiting list.

Given that children have been staying in inadequately equipped rooms for many years, thanks to the Ministry of Education and the “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project, after many years, both children and staff now stay in the most modernly equipped spaces. This donation has improved conditions for staying and working with children.

The Ministry of Education, through the World Bank loan and the “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project, allocated funds to adapt 9 and equip 13 workrooms, enabling children from rural areas to have the same conditions as their urban peers.

The rooms have been equipped with furniture, toys, didactic, educational materials, picture books, and books, all carefully chosen to meet the needs of different age groups. The provided equipment contributes to creating a stimulating environment that provokes children’s curiosity and promotes inquiry and wonder. This allows them to grow and develop in a safe and encouraging environment that motivates various activities during early childhood and supports the holistic development of each child.

This investment is not only for the children currently in the kindergarten but also for future generations who will grow and develop there.

Additionally, all rooms underwent adaptations such as painting, replacing and installing new vinyl floors, refinishing, replacing, and sanding parquet floors, and renovating outdated bathrooms. Old and worn-out windows were replaced in the Dobrujevac facility.

You can see the photos here.