Education in Serbia
Encyclopedia
Education in Serbia
is divided in preschool, primary school, secondary school
, and higher education
(university
). It is regulated by the Ministry of Education.
. The system of education has been modernized to the European standard. Consequently, there has been an reorganization of the educational system. Primary and secondary education remained the same. Universities offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree
s. The previous Diploma has been equalized with integrated Bachelor's
and Master's Degree
, and Magister
with the first two years of doctoral studies.
s. 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:
In the Lower grades students are sorted into classes randomly and have only one teacher for all subjects, except the English language teacher who teaches them English. Students in the lower grades study the following subjects:
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 or 11.
In the Higher grades children get new subjects such as:
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). There are:
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.
High Schools and are divided in four types, and children attend one depending on their choice, their elementary school grades and their entrance exams results:
Entrance exams mostly consists of Mathematics
exam and Serbian language and literature exam, although depending on the type of school you wish to enroll you may need to take English language exam.
High schools in Serbia have specified curses and college-like institutions. Example: Medicinal school (curses: plain medicine,pharmacist (sometimes split school) etc.) Veterinary school, Machinery school, traffic school,economy school...
Most of schools apart of "gimnazije" are branded and integrated as one even thoo of two (sometimes unrelated) schools. Example: Biological-Machinery school, Economic-Trading school, Macinery-Traficant school.
The high school education in Serbia is divided in two: 4th degree and 3rd degree. You can change a curse or even a school in any time if your present and past (elementary school) grades allow it (taking a curse difference test also).
4th degree is professionalist education with bigger future ambition since 3rd degree students can't (in most shapes) continue to college or university education.
Examples: 4th degree curses in schools: Machinery technician for computer design, Electrician expert, Medicinal, economic expert, banking expert...
3rd degree: automechanic, plumber, locksmith, machinery locksmith , trader (trgovac)...
Gimnazija is an exception in Serbian education since its the only high school that doesn't give you a calling when graduated, once receiving a diploma of the school you must continue to college,university or higher school or the diploma is meaningless, though gimnazija graduates can go to almost any college with their diploma (judging by grades, "prijemni"-entrance exams etc.) whilst a Medical school graduate, for example, can not go to a Machinery university , for example, since he or she lack the necessary high school education.
All the other schools give a calling when graduated, example: Medical school graduate is a nurse (veterinary school graduate is a veterinary nurse), economy school graduate can be bank workers and similar...
Also, children in Serbia in and before high school have two elective classes in all schools: Veronauka and Građansko. Veronauka
is a religious (orthodox Christianity) segment and građansko
is civic education, teaching the students how to interact and help around local and wider community.
Veronauka is made of two words vera - faith, religion and nauka - science, since in Serbia there was never an atheist-religious confrontation apart of the communist age when religion (in all Yugoslav shapes: Orthodox, Catholic, Islamic) was forbidden thus turning the western problem other way around. This solved, long ago,a problem that EU and USA is facing even today. Where as if the child (and/or his or hers parents) is atheist and doesn't want to attend prayers and learn about the Serbian orthodox religion, he or she can simply attend "građansko" that is city education. Both classes are attended in the same time (splitting the class students in two groups) in separate places by separate professors.
s and Ph.D.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
is divided in preschool, primary school, secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, and higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
(university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
). It is regulated by the Ministry of Education.
Current system of education
Serbia has implemented the Bologna ProcessBologna process
The purpose of the Bologna Process is the creation of the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention...
. The system of education has been modernized to the European standard. Consequently, there has been an reorganization of the educational system. Primary and secondary education remained the same. Universities offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
s. The previous Diploma has been equalized with integrated Bachelor's
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and Master's Degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, and Magister
Magister (degree)
Magister is an academic degree used in various systems of higher education.-Argentina:...
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)
- UnescoUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Convention On the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees Concerning Higher Education in the Europe Region (signed 1979)
Primary education
Education starts in either pre-schools or elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s. Children enroll in elementary schools (Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
, 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:
- Lower Grades ( grades 1-4 )
- Higher Grades ( grades 5-8 )
In the Lower grades students are sorted into classes randomly and have only one teacher for all subjects, except the English language teacher who teaches them English. Students in the lower grades study the following subjects:
- Mathematics,
- Serbian language,
- Art (children draw and paint),
- Music class,
- Physical education,
- World around us (subject about nature),
- Electives.
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 or 11.
In the Higher grades children get new subjects such as:
- From 5th grade - Biology, Geography, History, Second foreign language (French, German, Russian, Spanish or Italian) and Technical sciences.
- From 6th grade - Physics
- 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). There are:
- excellent (5) corresponds to American A and A+ grade
- very good (4) corresponds to American B+ and A- grade
- good (3) corresponds to American C and B grade
- sufficient (2) corresponds to American D and C 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 AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
High Schools and are divided in four types, and children attend one depending on their choice, their elementary school grades and their entrance exams results:
- Two special schools for gifted studentsGifted educationGifted education is a broad term for special practices, procedures and theories used in the education of children who have been identified as gifted or talented...
: Matematička gimnazijaMatematicka gimnazijaMatematička gimnazija , is a special school for gifted and talented students of mathematics, physics and informatics located in Belgrade, Serbia...
http://www.mg.edu.rs which enrolls students aged 11–12 and above (which puts Matematička gimnazijaMatematicka gimnazijaMatematička gimnazija , is a special school for gifted and talented students of mathematics, physics and informatics located in Belgrade, Serbia...
in the field of both elementary schools and high schools) and Philology Special School http://sr.wikipedia.org/sr-el/Филолошка_гимназија_у_Београдуhttp://www.filoloska.edu.rs/. - Grammar schoolsGymnasium (school)A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
(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 schoolVocational schoolA vocational school , providing vocational education, is a school in which students are taught the skills needed to perform a particular job...
s (zanatska škola) last for three years, without an option of continuing education and specialize in narrow vocations.
Entrance exams mostly consists of Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
exam and Serbian language and literature exam, although depending on the type of school you wish to enroll you may need to take English language exam.
High schools in Serbia have specified curses and college-like institutions. Example: Medicinal school (curses: plain medicine,pharmacist (sometimes split school) etc.) Veterinary school, Machinery school, traffic school,economy school...
Most of schools apart of "gimnazije" are branded and integrated as one even thoo of two (sometimes unrelated) schools. Example: Biological-Machinery school, Economic-Trading school, Macinery-Traficant school.
The high school education in Serbia is divided in two: 4th degree and 3rd degree. You can change a curse or even a school in any time if your present and past (elementary school) grades allow it (taking a curse difference test also).
4th degree is professionalist education with bigger future ambition since 3rd degree students can't (in most shapes) continue to college or university education.
Examples: 4th degree curses in schools: Machinery technician for computer design, Electrician expert, Medicinal, economic expert, banking expert...
3rd degree: automechanic, plumber, locksmith, machinery locksmith , trader (trgovac)...
Gimnazija is an exception in Serbian education since its the only high school that doesn't give you a calling when graduated, once receiving a diploma of the school you must continue to college,university or higher school or the diploma is meaningless, though gimnazija graduates can go to almost any college with their diploma (judging by grades, "prijemni"-entrance exams etc.) whilst a Medical school graduate, for example, can not go to a Machinery university , for example, since he or she lack the necessary high school education.
All the other schools give a calling when graduated, example: Medical school graduate is a nurse (veterinary school graduate is a veterinary nurse), economy school graduate can be bank workers and similar...
Also, children in Serbia in and before high school have two elective classes in all schools: Veronauka and Građansko. Veronauka
Religious education
In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion and its varied aspects —its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles...
is a religious (orthodox Christianity) segment and građansko
Civics
Civics is the study of rights and duties of citizenship. In other words, it is the study of government with attention to the role of citizens ― as opposed to external factors ― in the operation and oversight of government....
is civic education, teaching the students how to interact and help around local and wider community.
Veronauka is made of two words vera - faith, religion and nauka - science, since in Serbia there was never an atheist-religious confrontation apart of the communist age when religion (in all Yugoslav shapes: Orthodox, Catholic, Islamic) was forbidden thus turning the western problem other way around. This solved, long ago,a problem that EU and USA is facing even today. Where as if the child (and/or his or hers parents) is atheist and doesn't want to attend prayers and learn about the Serbian orthodox religion, he or she can simply attend "građansko" that is city education. Both classes are attended in the same time (splitting the class students in two groups) in separate places by separate professors.
Tertiary education
Tertiary level institutions also accept students based on their grades in high school and entrance exams results:- Higher schools (viša škola), lasts three years, corresponding to American collegeCollegeA college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
s - At faculties (fakultet) of various UniversitiesUniversityA university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
(univerzitet) and art academiesAcademyAn academy is an institution of higher learning, research, or honorary membership.The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and skill, north of Athens, Greece. In the western world academia is the...
(akademija umetnosti) (see the list of universities in Serbia) last between 4 and 6 years (doctorat is 5–7 years) (one year is TWO (2) semesters long - autumn and spring) and award diplomaDiplomaA diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
s (all segments of education awards diplomas but its called "svedocanstvo - testimony" in lower education such as: elementary and high schools).
Quaternary education
Graduate education (post-diplomsko obrazovanje) is offered after tertiary level and offers specialization education, Magister (degree)Magister (degree)
Magister is an academic degree used in various systems of higher education.-Argentina:...
s and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
Degrees and qualifications
- Diploma o završenoj srednjoj školi (secondary school certificateHigh school diplomaA high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED.-Past diploma styles:...
) - Diploma (Diploma Višeg Obrazovanja) - equivalent of the U.S. Associate's degreeAssociate's degreeAn associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
. - Diploma visokog obrazovanja
- Magistar nauka or Magistar umetnosti (MagisterMagisterMagister is Latin for "master" or "teacher." It may refer to:* The Magister , an academic degreePositions or titles* A magister equitum, or Master of the Horse...
of Sciences or Magister of Arts) - Doktor nauka (Doctor of Science)
See also
- List of universities in Serbia
- Music schools in SerbiaMusic schools in SerbiaIn Serbia, there are 70 primary music schools, 30 secondary music schools and 6 university music departments.-Primary music schools:Primary music schools are attended by pupils up to 14 years old...
- English Schools in Serbia