Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

Inclusion will only be successfully when those completing school are truly employed somewhere, said the Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development Dr Srđan Verbić. Speaking at the event “Policies and Practices of Inclusive Education in Serbia”, he said that inclusion must be done properly, and added that he is unsatisfied that there is still talk about inclusive education as a special form of education.

“Even today, after five years, we are talking about examples of good practice, instead of having inclusive education as a practice. Inclusion will be successful when we see it having effect, and not only at the level of the curriculum, but also at the level of employment, because we want to include them in society, not the classroom. When speaking of inclusive education, we in fact mean quality education for all, and that is our goal. This quality education must primarily respect the person of the child, find its potential and use it to the maximum, for we are not doing this because of the schools or because it is our job, we are doing this for their future”, said Verbić.

The director of UNICEF in Serbia, Michel Saint-Lot said that the process of transforming education in Serbia into inclusive education, started 10 years ago, started providing visible results, achieved because of cooperation between ministries, academic institutions, international and non-government organizations.

“The latest data indicate that there was an increase in the number of children with disabilities enrolling in regular schools in the educational system. Today, the number of Roma children and children with disabilities studying parallel with their peers is much greater, they make friendships, empower and build up their self-confidence and sense of community”, said Saint-Lot. However, he said that a higher degree of support for schools and teachers is required to achieve full inclusive education for children from vulnerable groups and to achieve a higher educational standard for those children.

The roundtable was organized as part of the Project “Improvement of Education in Serbia through the Development of the Network of Support for Inclusive Education”, implemented by the Network for Inclusive Education, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development in partnership with UNICEF and SDC.

Source: www.mpn.gov.rs