Education is the priority and basis for the development of Serbia. Quality education available to everyone is an objective pursued by the Serbian government, which wishes to face the challenges related to education of youth for professions that will exist in the future. Young people are encouraged to think critically and analytically, the education process is being modernised, and Serbia is creating a knowledge-based society where people and their ideas and innovations are the drivers of progress.
Who is it intended for?
Every child is entitled to free and quality education in a public school. Primary education is compulsory and it is carried out in accordance with the law.
Every child that is at least six and a half, and no more than seven and a half years old by the beginning of the school year is enrolled in the first grade of the primary school. Exceptionally, when it is in the child’s best interest, the school may postpone the child’s enrolment by one year, on the basis of opinion of the interdepartmental commission. A child aged six to six and a half gets enrolled in the first grade after the baseline evaluation test. The school is obliged to organise a baseline evaluation test.
The obligation of attending classes for a student who turns 15 during a school year ceases upon completion of that school year. The school is obliged to enable schooling until the age of 17 to a student who turned 15 and did not acquire primary education, if that is requested by the student, his/her parent or another legal representative. A student who turned 15, and did not acquire primary education, may continue to acquire education according to the programme of functional primary education for adults.
How is primary education organised?
Basic education and upbringing is compulsory, lasts for eight years, and is divided into two educational cycles.
The first cycle includes the first, second, third, and fourth grades. Class teaching is organised for students, and there may also be subject teaching in a foreign language, as well as elective subjects and activities. The second cycle includes the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, where students have subject-based teaching.
For members of national minorities, subject teaching can be organised in Serbian as a non-native language and in the elective programme of the minority language with elements of national culture from the first grade.
The duration of basic education and upbringing can be longer or shorter depending on the achievements and progress of the students.
In which languages is teaching organised?
Teaching is organised in the Serbian language and Cyrillic script. For members of national minorities, it is conducted bilingually, in Serbian and the national minority language, if at least 15 students choose this option during first-grade enrolment. Educational activities can also be carried out in a foreign language, or bilingually in a foreign language and Serbian, or in a foreign language along with the language and script of the national minority, with the approval of the Ministry. When education is provided in the national minority language, a foreign language, or bilingually, learning Serbian is mandatory. Educational activities for students using sign language, specialised scripts, or other technical solutions are conducted in accordance with the law.