The Education System Cannot Be Repaired Through Fear

Yesterday, a public debate on the proposed amendments to the Law on the Foundations of the Education System was held with restricted public access. Mobile phones were prohibited, journalists were only partially admitted, and the only representative teachers' union present described the discussion as a "reality show."

The proposed amendments expand the grounds for punishing both students and teachers and are based on the false premise that schools can be improved through fear. This is not reform. It is an admission that the government fears a free and independent school system.

The Civic Movement Solidarity proposes a different path:

Children and young people must be active participants in their school communities. The right to organize and participate in student councils is not a privilege—it is training for responsible citizenship.

Teachers must be treated as partners, not targets of disciplinary proceedings. Salaries aligned with the national average, less administrative burden, a collective bargaining agreement, and protection from arbitrary suspensions are the minimum conditions for professional dignity.

Parents must be more actively involved and better connected with schools. Parent councils with genuine decision-making powers are not a threat to the education system—they are its partners.

The case of Jovina Gymnasium in Novi Sad speaks for itself. Instead of drawing lessons about trust and cooperation, the Minister has proposed returning the school to the Church in the name of "restoring order." A teacher responded: "That takes us in the opposite direction from the future." We agree.

Education is the one thing every generation can reliably pass on to the next—the ability to think critically and take responsibility. A government that replaces these values with fear and control has lost faith not only in its children, but also in the future.

The public consultation remains open until 23 August 2026.

Comments and suggestions may be submitted to: javna.rasprava@prosveta.gov.rs

Until victory.