Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

The National Education Council (NEC) launched the preparation of Education Development Directions in Serbia, as a foundation for the future Education Development Strategy and integral to the overall development policy of Serbia until 2020. The document will be finalized by June 30, 2010.

The development of Education Development Directions is one of the basic functions of the NEC. The expert committee has been established and launched its work. Expert support for the development of the document is provided by the education policy expert Prof. Dr Ivan Ivić, whose work is supported by the Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Unit (SIPRU) within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration. The committee launched its work and has developed an outline of an overall framework within which to develop the document. The members of the committee from the NEC are Prof. Dr Desanka Radunović, chairperson, Prof. Dr Dragica Trivić, Dr Vesna Đukić, Nataša Stojanović, Prof. Dr Ljubomir Popović, Marina Arizanović, Prof. Dr Ljubomir Kocić and Dr Ana Pešikan.

The NEC sees the Education Development Directions and the Education Development Strategy as two stages in the development of a long-term policy of education development in Serbia (first stage – Directions, and Strategy as the second stage), i.e. two linked documents of high national relevance for defining strategic objectives and priorities in the development of education in Serbia. The Strategy is seen as one of the key components of the overall development of Serbia and should be linked with other strategic documents of the Republic of Serbia.

The NEC believes that partners shall have important roles in the process of Education Development Directions and envisages consultations with: a) state institutions in the field of education (Ministry of Education, Vocational and Adult Education Council, National Council for Higher Education, provincial institutions in the field of education in Vojvodina, the Institute for Improving Education, the Institute for Education Quality Assessment); b) scientific, expert and cultural institutions, universities, SANU, expert associations; c) other social actors in the field of education (chambers of commerce, citizen associations and employers associations, labor unions in the field of education, the SCTM, churches, political parties).

The goal of the NEC is that future Education Development Directions are analyzed against all requirements that diverse Government policies/strategies set in the field of education, international commitments and EU standards.

THE NATIONAL EDUCATION COUNCIL WORKS ON DEFINING THE NATIONAL EDUCATION INDICATORS

During March 2010, the expert committee within the National Education Council has been established and has launched its work and will work on defining the national education indicators against which the NEC will report to the National Assembly and the public about the status in the field of education.

The members of the committee from the NEC are Prof. Dr Branislav Đurđev, chairman, Bodin Starčević, Mirjana Ćirić, Mirjana Ilić, Prof. Dr Bora Kuzmanović and Danica Bojić, representative of the Union of Serbian Students.

Expert support to the National Education Council relating to defining indicators will be provided by the education policy expert Dr. Aleksandar Baucal, whose work is supported by the Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Unit within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration.

As there are no clearly defined national indicators in the field of education currently in Serbia and most indicators at the EU level are not monitored in Serbia, members of the NEC have in the previous period learned about the education monitoring mechanisms at the EU level.

Defining the national education indicators will improve the National Education Council monitoring function and harmonization of reporting mechanisms aligned with the EU trends which will contribute to the harmonization of the level of the education system with European principles and values.