Minister of Education Slavica Đukić Dejanović stated that the educational unions rightly demanded that the attack on school employees be treated as an attack on an official.
Đukić Dejanović told TV Prva that this would mean that if someone attacks or threatens an educator, the penalties will be toughened through amendments to the law.
And she pointed out that there are still completely unwanted and inappropriate behaviors of students.
Work suspension on September 16th
All four representative unions education they announced for September 16 suspension of work and protests in all cities of Serbia, citing the unfulfilled promises of the Government of Serbia as the reason.
Snežana Romandić from the Union of Trade Unions of Belgrade Schools for Insider said that, although it was announced, the Criminal Code was not amended. He reminds that back in May, it was promised that changes to the Criminal Code would improve the safety of educators in schools.
"The safety of educators is seriously threatened. We ask and appeal to the authorities to continue where we left off, because we have not finished the negotiations that started in October last year. And we have a situation where the law, i.e. the amendment of the Criminal Code, has not been passed, even though numerous laws were changed during the summer. If he has to wait, let us know why he is being delayed, because he is crucial to the safety of teachers. Why do we have to start the school year with things we haven't finished", asks Romandić.
The salary requirement was not met either
Back in October last year, the Protocol on raises was agreed, but its implementation is still pending.
At the media conference in front of the Government of Serbia, representatives trade unions reiterated their disappointment, because the Government did not fulfill what it promised and what was signed in the 2023 protocol - that the starting salary of teachers be equal to the average salary in the Republic of Serbia.
"When the budget is adopted, then our reactions will be fiercest," said the president of the Union of Education Workers Union of Serbia.
Source: FoNet, Insider