The Acting Prime Minister of Serbia, Miloš Vučević, and the Minister of Education, Prof. Dr. Slavica Đukić Dejanović, visited the newly constructed kindergarten “Čarolija” in Ćićevac.

With the construction and opening of this kindergarten, 200 new places for children have been made available, effectively eliminating the waiting list. The facility spans 1,360 square meters, with an investment of approximately 190 million dinars.

During the visit, Vučević emphasized that while 23 kindergartens are currently under construction, the declining birthrate in Serbia remains a concern, stating that even the most modern facilities are of limited value without demographic potential.

Speaking on development projects for the Rasina District, the Prime Minister mentioned ongoing efforts to address the local primary school and the secondary water supply network in Ćićevac, as well as other initiatives in Aleksandrovac, Varvarin, and Kruševac.

Vučević expressed confidence in the potential of the district and reiterated the government’s commitment to improving living and working conditions for all citizens.

“We will fight to keep children in schools, students at universities, workers in factories, farmers in fields, and our army protecting the country – and for all of us to love Serbia,” said the Prime Minister.

“We firmly believe that through such investments, we are building a modern future for our children and society as a whole. When we laid the foundation stone in November 2023, we promised to open this facility within a year and a half. Today, we are proud to confirm that commitment – a result of the strong engagement not only of the Ministry but also of the local government and other project partners,” said Minister of Education Đukić Dejanović, wishing the children and educators joyful and creative days in t…

Mirjana Krkić, President of the Ćićevac Municipality, stated that this is the first kindergarten built in 70 years, and that its opening has eliminated all waiting lists.

“Today we are making history in the Municipality of Ćićevac by opening this new kindergarten. I express my gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Serbia, the Ministry of Education, and the World Bank, whose invaluable support made this investment possible,” said Krkić.

The construction of this facility is part of the Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care project, implemented by the Ministry of Education with support from the World Bank. The aim is to improve the accessibility, quality, and conditions of preschool education for all children across Serbia.

The project was initiated with the goal of enhancing the preschool education system, not only by expanding capacity but also by strengthening the knowledge and skills of educators and professional associates—placing a strong emphasis on the inclusion of vulnerable social groups from the earliest age.

Within this project, inclusion is a key priority, particularly regarding children from socially vulnerable groups, along with raising awareness about the importance of inclusive practices in the preschool education system.

The opening ceremony of Kindergarten Čarolija was also attended by Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, Minister for Family and Demography, and Bratislav Gašić, Minister of Defense.

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Between 2018 and 2025, the Ministry of Education has been implementing the Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) project, financed through a World Bank loan, with the aim of enhancing the accessibility, quality, and equity of early childhood education and care, particularly for children from vulnerable social groups.

Through the ECEC project, the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with preschool institutions (PU), local self-government units (LSG), and other institutions and organizations, has successfully implemented numerous activities and initiatives aimed at supporting families with young children and building a quality preschool education and care system (PVO). This has been achieved by supporting and enhancing the competencies of approximately 22,000 practitioners in PU, as well as by constructing, extending, adapting, and equipping PU facilities, thereby expanding capacity by 11,000 new spots in the PVO system and creating better conditions and greater benefits for over 220,000 children in the PU system.

As part of improving ECEC quality, from 2019 to 2024, the following project activities were carried out:
• Support to all public PIs in implementing the Preschool Curriculum Framework (PCF), with 90 mentors and about 22,000 practitioners trained;
• A mentoring system was developed and delivered to 162 public PIs, alongside two peer-learning models;
• 12 horizontal exchange events for 380 professional associates on internal training and change leadership;
• 10 exchange events for about 300 teachers and educators from 128 primary schools and 16 preschools across 13 municipalities;
• Creation and distribution of practical handbooks and guides;
• Development of digital tools and training for over 12,000 educators;
• Inclusion training for 850 practitioners and compilation of inclusive best practice stories from six preschools;
• External evaluation instruments developed and piloted, with 9 months of mentoring support provided to all public PIs;
• Evaluation and reform of preschool educator training programs and accreditation standards aligned with professional competencies and the PCF.

Evaluation studies conducted on a representative sample showed measurable improvement across all four domains of preschool quality, confirming significant progress in alignment with the national education development strategy to 2030.

The adaptation of the premises in the old building of the “Ilija Milosavljević Kolarac” Primary School in Kolari, near Smederevo, has been completed. In addition to the room designated for educational activities, the dining area, kitchen, school library, extended stay classroom, and toilets for preschool-aged children have also been renovated. The works included building partition walls, lowering ceilings, replacing lighting and carpentry, updating flooring, and repainting. The adaptation also co…

Until now, the preschool institution “Naša radost” operated only a preparatory preschool group in a classroom located on the upper floor of the school, while the toilets were on the ground floor and thus inaccessible. Thanks to the implementation of the “Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care” project, an adequate learning and care environment has now been created.

The adapted space will allow for the enrollment of 25 children aged 3 years to school entry, who will now have access to high-quality facilities aligned with the Preschool Curriculum Framework. Additionally, the formation of a mixed-age educational group will be made possible.

During the construction works, the local government allocated additional funds for a full roof replacement and refurbishment of additional rooms. With these renovations, the entire building has been modernized, ensuring proper conditions for the quality care and education of children.

The entire report can be read here.

Through the project “Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care”, the Ministry of Education completed the expansion and adaptation of the premises of the satellite classroom of the “Radost” preschool institution in the village of Sirogojno. These facilities are located within the primary school building in the center of this Zlatibor village. The total value of the completed works, funded by the Ministry of Education, amounted to 4,122,444 RSD, while the municipality of Čajetina has allocated additional funds in the amount of 2,000,000 dinars for construction and mechanical works.

The goal of the project was to create a safe and stimulating environment for children of preschool age. With its implementation, an adequate setting for growth, development, learning, and daily care of children has been ensured. The planned group will include 25–30 children, aged 2 years until school entry.

The adaptation and expansion of the preschool facility’s spatial capacities are of great importance not only for the preschool institution but also for the entire community in Sirogojno. Improving the infrastructure and conditions for children’s stay contributes to raising the quality of preschool education, which strengthens the institution’s reputation and its role in child development. The community gains a space that meets modern standards, which affects parental satisfaction and encourages young families to stay in the area. The new space will provide conditions for quality care and the implementation of a real program in line with the Basics of the Program, which is an important step in supporting the development of the youngest and the future of the community itself.

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