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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

First bilingual classes opened in two Serbian schools

Belgrade, 7 September 2006

Serbian Minister of Education and Sport Slobodan Vuksanovic opened today in elementary schools "Mika Petrovic Alas" and "Starina Novak" in Belgrade the first bilingual classes in which lessons will be held in Serbian and English.

Vuksanovic explained that these bilingual lessons, the first in the Serbian education system, will be given to pupils of the seventh grade, in such a way that physics, mathematics, biology, technical and physical education will be held in English.

Serbia insists on teaching world languages, first of all English, but other foreign languages as well, the Minister said and added that these two schools are not the only ones that expressed a wish for having bilingual classes.

He expressed gratitude for the support of the United States, British and Canadian embassies in Belgrade, as well as to the British Council and the International School who enabled the realisation of this project.

British Ambassador to Belgrade David Gowen said that the introduction of classes in English opens a possibility for Serbian pupils to have a much better and intensive communication with their peers worldwide.

Gowen explained that the British Ministry of Education launched an initiative for cooperation between British and foreign schools, under the name "Global Gate", managed by the British Council.

Serbian schools will have an opportunity to cooperate with schools from Great Britain and another 58 countries that take part in the project, he said and reiterated that Minister Vuksanovic supported this initiative and signed an agreement on strategic partnership.

Apart from Vuksanovic and Gowen, the opening of bilingual classes was attended by Assistant Minister of Education of Sport Vesna Fila, US and Canadian ambassadors to Belgrade Michael Polt and Robert MacDougal, as well as pupils from the two elementary schools and their parents.