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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Education Ministry to sign agreements on financing state universities in 2007

Belgrade, 3 January 2007

Serbian Minister of Education and Sport Slobodan Vuksanovic announced in an interview to daily Blic that priorities in 2007 for the Ministry will be the signing of agreements on financing with all state universities, solve the problem of lack of space in all faculties and the process of profesionalisation of school principals.

Slobodan Vuksanovic

The official website of the Serbian government brings excerpts from the interview.

On equalisation of academic titles “graduated” and master and request of students to get money refund:

“I had open talks with students on their requests. I insisted that the Secretariat for the Judiciary gives its interpretation of the Law on higher education. Also, the interpretation of parliament’s judicial committee was that academic titles “graduated” and master should be equalised, and that problem is solved. The first thing we will do next year will be to sign agreemenet on financing with universities. Rectors will have to make a list of study programmes for deans. If necessary, we will increase the state share in financing faculties.”

How to overcome the problem of insufficient space at some faculties?

“It is my dream that the Faculty of Geography and Biological Faculty get their own buildings and I shall do everything for that to happen. In principle, I agree that empty schools should be used, but I do not think we are in that situation yet. We are negotiating with the Serbian Property Directorate on status of some buildings which could house some faculties in greatest need, and I am sure this problem will be solved. It is certain that the Biological Faculty will soon get a building in the Botanical Garden.”

Priorities of the Ministry of Education and Sport in 2007:

“Apart from the signing of agreements on financing with all state universities, we will start the process of profesionalisation of school principals. We already made a rule book that will be adopted as soon as we get results from testing of school principals. The testing covers three areas. A good principal must be familiar with the law, have managerial capacity and communication skills. We introduced this testing as we realised no other issue was more disputed than appointment of principals.”

On implementation of pre-school prep programme:

“This prep programme is being implemented better than I expected. Where there is no room in kindergartens, schools are used for prep programme.”

On Ministry’s projects in 2006:

“In 2006, the Ministry started implementation of several projects that should be financed from the National Investment Plan, including professional training of teachers, purchase of 30,000 computers for Serbian schools for a total of €11 million, procurement of new desks and chairs, procurement of music instruments, construction, reconstruction and repairs of schools, procurement of equipment and construction of gymnasiums and sports halls.”

Reform of secondary vocational education:

“Reform of secondary vocational education has been going on since August 2003 in cooperation with the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR) and the German government. The main aim of this reform is the development of secondary vocational education based on needs of economy and labour market. The Ministry introduced 38 new occupations into 149 schools as part of this reform and 80% of students found employment within three months from their graduation.”