A year after then-Prime Minister Miloš Vucevic announced free books and public transport for everyone, it turned out that the measures were partial, expensive and politically motivated. Where citizens enjoy these privileges
First, in January, Miloš Vučević tickled the imagination with the announcement that textbooks can be free for all students. Then President Aleksandar Vučić soon promised that he would do his best to make it so from September. September is approaching, and there is no announced education reform
In the struggle of teachers and professors for their own and student rights, there is no exit strategy, only an entry strategy. One fifth of all Serbian citizens set foot in an educational institution every day - pupils, students, professors, scientific workers
Textbooks could become free in all of Serbia, outgoing Prime Minister Miloš Vučević announced. How the authorities finally remembered just now
The government councilors did not support the initiative for free textbooks in Niš, judging it to be "unnecessary" and "ridiculous". Although there is a legal basis for all children to receive free textbooks
Parents of schoolchildren in Belgrade should receive twenty thousand dinars each, in order to make it easier for them, for example, to buy textbooks. In Serbia, it is a matter for local governments - and hardly any buy textbooks for all children
Application for free textbooks is possible in schools until April 20, and the schools will inform the parents or legal representatives of the students about the procedure, necessary documentation and deadlines in a timely manner through the department heads and teachers.
"The Alek Kavčić Foundation strongly condemns any attempt to force parents to buy any textbooks, especially the most expensive ones, they told the "Vremena" portal.
It is estimated that the cost of construction could reach as much as 540 million euros. Economists' calculations show that less than 60 million euros are needed annually for free textbooks for all students
Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Janković said that there is a legal basis for all children to receive free textbooks and that the recommendation has been sent to the Ministry in order to prepare for next year.
In Belgrade, all elementary and high school students received free textbooks, except for students of the Air Force Academy. The city says the school did not apply
"Given that it is often emphasized that there are fewer and fewer of us, that it is important to have a family and as many children as possible, let's show the families that we care about them and their children and try to get them free textbooks," they said from "Go-Change" movement
What undermines the belief that there is any serious intention for the city to systematically and long-term deal with the problem of inclusive education (or at least the provision of free textbooks) is the absence of planning and studies that would even inform us about the situation on the ground and how and for what purposes budget expenditures should be planned in the future
As for state kindergartens, parents will no longer pay for their children's stay, and when it comes to private kindergartens, we will refund all the money to parents in the value of the state kindergarten, but we cannot influence their price increase, Aleksandar Šapić announced.
In the tender for free textbooks, the Ministry of Education rejected 12 publishers because of the exorbitant prices. "It cannot be lower than 2,2 dinars per page," believes Aleksandar Kavčić
He also announced the introduction of air purifiers in all kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, which will be maintained and serviced by the City.
If the proposal of the mayor of Belgrade that all elementary and high school students receive free textbooks would be implemented, everyone would be satisfied: parents would have significantly less expenses, and publishers don't care who pays them. Part of the opposition recalls that the first decision of the SNS when it came to power was to abolish free textbooks
