Preschool Education

The Preparatory Preschool Program

The preparatory preschool program has been mandatory since the beginning of the academic year 2006/07.

According to stipulations of Article 85 of the Law on the Fundamentals of the Education System (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 62/03, 63/03, 58/04 and 62/04), preschool programs are carried out as a preparatory program for primary school, as part of preschool education. In the year preceding starting school, the program is carried out for four per day, for a period of at least six months. The preparatory preschool program is part of compulsory education, which lasts for nine years.

Article 89 of the same Law defines that children must be enrolled in kindergarten at the ages of between of five and a half and six and a half, so that they would attend the preparatory preschool program. It is the duty of the kindergartens founded by the local self-government, and primary schools founded by the Republic, autonomous province or local self-government, to enroll children in the preparatory preschool program. This means that private kindergartens will not be authorized to organize preparatory preschool programs.

At enrollment in the preparatory preschool program, the parents or guardians need to provide a health examination certificate and birth certificate.

The program is free of charge, and the parents/guardians may choose the kindergarten or primary school where the child will be enrolled.

Implementation of the Preparatory Preschool Program

The schedule (beginning and end date) for the implementation of the preparatory preschool program is defined in the annual program of the activities of the preschool or the primary school carrying out the preschool program

Educational work with the children in the year preceding them starting school is carried out by a preschool teachers.

The draft Law on Preschool Education stipulates the obligations of the parents/guardians, preschool and primary school carrying out the preparatory preschool program, and local self-government in the implementation of the preparatory preschool program.

The local self-government keeps records and informs the kindergarten or primary school, and parents of children that are old enough to attend the program (Draft Law, Article 23). Pending the adoption of the Law on Preschool Education, the necessary records on children that are old enough to attend the preparatory preschool program can be obtained through cooperation with the local healthcare centers.

The preparatory program, which is part of the preschool program, is prepared by the professional bodies of the kindergarten or primary school carrying out the preschool program, in accordance with the Fundamentals of the Preschool Program. The preparation of the Fundamentals of the Preschool Program is under way and has been entrusted to the Institute for the Improvement of Education, in accordance with Article 20 of the Law on the Fundamentals of the Education System, and its adoption falls within the jurisdiction of the National Education Council (Article 12). The Fundamentals of the Preschool Program will be based on the existing Fundamentals of the Program for Preschool Education for Children Ages 3 to 7 (Official Gazette – Educational Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 6/96).

Organization of Educational Activities

The preschool preparation program is carried out at kindergartens, primary school and other venues that meet the requirements for working with preschool children. The optimal time for the implementation of the preschool program is in the morning. Bearing in mind the long-standing positive of experience of kindergartens in the implementation of preparatory programs for starting school, the availability of suitable staff, specially adapted and equipped spaces for working with preschool children, the needs of many families for daycare services, it is recommended that the origination of preschool programs primarily be entrusted to kindergartens.

According to the Draft Law on Preschool Education, 26 children are enrolled per educational group. Bearing in mind that the preparatory preschool program is mandatory for all children in the preschool year, the minimal number of children for organizing an educational group will depend on the special circumstances. The special circumstances are: small number of children, great dispersion and inaccessibility. In order for an educational group to be formed under special circumstances, it is necessary for a rationale to be submitted, based on which the Ministry of Education performs an assessment and gives its approval.

The minimal number of children for organizing an educational group is five.

If it is not possible to organize an educational group in the place of residence of the child, it is necessary to provide transportation to the nearest kindergarten or primary school carrying out a preparatory preschool program.

If the terrain is inaccessible and it is not possible to organize transportation for the children, and the number of children is under five, it is recommended that children be included in school activities, in joint classes.

Public Documents

Draft Law on Preschool Education (Article 6) stipulates that the kindergarten or primary school, issue public documents of the attendance of the preparatory preschool program, namely: the certificate of transfer of the child from one kindergarten to another, or from one primary school to another, and a certificate of completion of the preparatory preschool program.

The content and form of for the public documents are prescribed by the Minister.

Pedagogic Norms for Educators

Pedagogical norm of kindergarten teachers for a week of full-time work is 30 hours of direct activities with children. Given the length of preparatory preschool program (four hours), teachers in the preparatory group perform 20 hours of direct work with children. The structure and schedule of teachers’ duties within a 40-hour working week is defined by the kindergarten in its annual program of activities, in accordance with Article 125 of the Law on Fundamentals of the Education System. This means that the decision of the principal of the kindergarten or primary school carrying out the preschool program stipulates the remaining duties, up to the full working week (40 hours), or the kindergarten teacher assigned to other part-time duties.

Financing

The Serbian Budget allocates funds for the implementation of preparatory preschool program, lasting four hours per day (Art. 142, Para 1). According to Article 89 of Law on Fundamentals of the Education System, attendance of this program is free of charge. Accordingly, kindergartens are required to make an adjustment of the service price for parents whose children attend daycare, taking into account the four hours of the preparatory preschool program.

Please note that the Draft Law on Preschool Education stipulates that the budget of local self-government provides funding for transportation of children attending the preschool preparatory program.

The kindergarten and primary school, creates the plan for the implementation of the preparatory preschool program for the given school year, due to planning of funding in the Budget of the Republic of Serbia. The preparatory preschool program implementation form is submitted by the proper date to the regional school authority.

Kindergartens that are planning to open new educational groups, are required to submit the education inspection’s ruling on the fulfillment of requirements for new groups (venue, staff, equipment), as well as the implementation plan.

In the event that a primary school is organizing a preparatory program, it is required to submit a program of educational work with children for the preschool year, in addition to the abovementioned documents.