Education in Serbia

Education in Serbia is regulated by the Ministry of Education.

chool types

Before implementation of the Bologna process

Primary education

Education starts in either pre-schools or elementary schools. Children enroll in elementary schools (Serbian, "osnovna škola") at the age of 6 or 7 and it lasts for eight years.The Elementary school is divided into 2 stages. Those stages are:

Lover Grades ( grades 1-4 )
Higher Grades ( grades 5-8 )

In the Lower grades students are sorted into classes randomly and have only one teacher, except English language teacher who teaches them English. Students in the lower grades study the following subjects:

1.Mathematics,
2.Serbian language,
3.Art ( children draw and paint),
4.Music class,
5.Physical education,
6.World around us ( subject about nature).

Since recently it is compulsory to learn English language from the 1st grade. In that class children usually learn songs and some basic words. Children start going to the 1st grade aged 6 or 7 and finish the 4th grade aged 10.

In the Higher grades children get new subjects such as:

1. From 5th grade - Biology, Geography, History, Second foreign language ( French, German, Russian, or Italian) and Technical sciences.

2. From 6th grade - Physics

3. From 7th grade - Chemistry and Computer Science

Grading system is numeric and is present in this form through Elementary school and High school. Grades are from 1 ( the lowest and failing grade) to 5 ( the best grade). You have:

excellent(5) "corresponds to American" A grade
very good (4) "corresponds to American" B grade
good (3) "corresponds to American" C grade
sufficient(2) "corresponds to American" D grade
insufficient(1) "corresponds to American" F grade

When a student finishes 8th grade of elementary school he or she chooses if they want to continue education since compulsory education stops when you finish elementary school.

Secondary education

Secondary schools (also known as High Schools) correspond to American High Schools and are divided in three types, and children attend one depending on their choice, their elementary school grades and their entrance exams results:
*Grammar schools ("gimnazija") last for four years and offer general and broad education. Student usually choose their education orientation between languages and social sciences ("društveni smer") and mathematics and natural sciences("prirodni smer").
*Professional schools ("stručna škola") last for four years and specialize students in certain fields, while still offering relatively broad education.
*Vocational schools ("zanatska škola") last for three years, without an option of continuing education and specialize in narrow vocations.

Entrance exames mostly consists of Mathemathics exam and Serbian language and literature exam, although depending on the type of school you wish to enrol you may need to take English language exam.

Tertiary education

Tertiary level institutions also accept students based on their grades in high school and entrance exams results:
*Higher schools ("viša škola"), lasts two years, corresponding to American colleges
*At faculties ("fakultet") of various Universities ("univerzitet") and art academies ("akademija umetnosti") (see the list of universities in Serbia) last between 4 and 6 years (one year is two semesters long) and award diplomas.

Quaternary education

Graduate education ("post-diplomsko obrazovanje") is offered after tertiary level and offers specialization education, Magister (degree)s and Ph.D.

Qualifications

* "Diploma o završenoj srednjoj školi" (secondary school certificate)
* Diploma ("Diploma Višeg Obrazovanja") - equivalent of the U.S. Associate's degree.
* "Diploma visokog obrazovanja"
* "Magistar nauka" or "Magistar umetnosti" ("Magister of Sciences" or "Magister of Arts")
* "Doktor nauka" ("Doctor of Science")

After implementation of the Bologna system

Primary and secondary education remained the same. Universities offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. The previous "Diploma" has been equalized with integrated Bachelor's and Master's Degree, and "Magister" with the first two years of doctoral studies.

Multilateral agreements

* "International Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees in the Arab and European States Bordering on the Mediterranean" (signed 1976)
* "Unesco Convention On the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees Concerning Higher Education in the Europe Region" (signed 1979)

Sources

* Ministry of Education, Belgrade, 2001

ee also

*List of universities in Serbia
*Music schools in Serbia

External links

* [http://www.mps.sr.gov.yu Serbian Ministry of Education]
* [http://www.mps.sr.gov.yu/code/navigate.php?Id=279 System of Higher Education in the Republic of Serbia]