At its twenty-seventh sitting, held on 6 July, the Education Committee discussed the Pre-Schools Bill, proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia. The sitting, held without a decision-making quorum, was chaired by Committee chairperson Donka Banovic, and attended by officials of the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Children’s Rights Sub-Committee.

Presenting the Bill, Ministry officials reiterated that issues common to all education levels were regulated by the Education Act. The Pre-Schools Bill is to regulate this education level, which has only recently been introduced into the system. Care was taken in drafting the Bill to keeping its provisions clear, concise, and easily implemented; by-laws are to be adopted to regulate all issues that might require more frequent amendment.

The sitting heard that the proposed provisions were intended to create higher-quality and more competitive conditions for education, including a reorganisation of unwieldy existing pre-schools. The pre-schools’ educational function has been emphasised – including a preparatory educational programme – aiming to ensure access for all to better education. Special needs children and children from minority groups will be provided with a way into the regular education system...