Great day for return of athletics to schools: Ministry signs protocol with Athletics Federation

Minister Sarcevic announced changes to the curriculum of sports high schools, as well as a pilot project that will be implemented in six Serbian cities

A protocol to introduce athletics as a base sport in the lowest grades of primary schools was signed today. This will not only provide a good basis for children to engage in other sports, but also conditions for healthier lifestyles that the Ministry of Education wants to promote, the signatories said.

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"Everyday sport will be a new category in Serbian education, which we now want to realize in a whole new way. It's important to systematically approach basic sports, not only because of the pride of the nation, but because of the lifestyles we want to introduce to children in this entire structure, which will keep them safe from drugs and violence," the minister reminded.

He said that intensive work is being done on the Education Strategy through 2030, and that the focus now is on "bringing order" to sports high schools. So far, they have worked according to the program of general high schools, without, as he assessed, much support and assistance regarding what should be studied and done there. On that note he announced a pilot project to be launched in six Serbian cities starting in September.

"Sports high schools will be designed in Subotica, Novi Sad, Belgrade, Kragujevac, Uzice and Nis. In addition to the fact that they will have the final graduation exam, they will have additional programs related to coaching theory, sports and health, sports medicine, and coaching, education, and journalism as professions," said the minister, adding that the project has already passed the National Council and that he hopes the future strategy will include 20 cities.

Athletics is introduced to schools in cooperation with the Athletics Federation of Serbia, whose President Veselin Jevrosimovic pointed out that the idea came from the minister of education himself, and that it came about in informal circumstances.

"Two years ago, in an informal conversation, he told me, 'Let's go back to basic sports in schools, let's start with athletics'. This is a great day for the return of athletics to schools. The task of the Athletic Federation of Serbia is also to train the teaching staff. We have an obligation to train 600 teachers until the 2022 Athletics Championship," said Jevrosimovic.

The protocol has also been signed by the secretary of the Serbian Federation of Teachers of Physical Education and Sports Milan Stosic. He expressed his gratitude for the recognition of the professional teching staff as an important factor in the upcoming changes.

"The pieces have fallen into place to, with the help of the Athletics Federation of Serbia, move towards one goal, namely the 2022 World Athletics Championship. That is why this day is very important, because there is a deadline by which this big project is to be realized and have some results," said Stosic.

The signing of the protocol was also attended by Assistant Minister of Education for Preschools and Primary Education Milan Pasic and Advisor to the Minister Milos Kovacevic.

(Telegraf.rs)