Slavica Djukic Dejanovic: We will do everything so that school shooting tragedy never happens again

Children's voices must be heard, and activities must be focused on the fight against peer violence

New Minister of Education Slavica Djukic Dejanovic stated that she accepted the job with a sense of responsibility to be a minister aware that everything she does requires complete cooperation between institutions and individuals so that the tragedy that happened at the Elementary School Vladislav Ribnikar in Belgrade never happens again.

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"We will do everything so that it never happens again," Djukic Dejanovic told reporters in the Serbian National Assembly.

She recalled that the Government of Serbia has started forming teams and preparing for the new school year to begin with the memory of that tragedy, but an obligation to make sure it never repeats.

Djukic Dejanovic said that when it comes to educators, their dignity and reputation must be restored, while their financial position must be improved. She also stressed that children's voices must be heard and that activities should be focused on the fight against peer violence, pointing out that in this sense, prevention of violence in schools is necessary.

She added that it includes direct contact with pedagogues, psychologists and identifying those children who need support.

"Teams have already been formed, and I think the first steps will be the steps that guarantee a better and safer future for children," said Djukic Dejanovic.

Djukic Dejanovic announced that in the coming days, in the next two or three weeks, she will get to know the teams and added that she plans to address the media again before September 1. She said that she expects an increase in the number of pedagogues and psychologists in schools and professional associates in the coming period.

The minister added that teaching staff in the education system and employees must be the number one goal, adding that she will deal with their financial position and restoring their dignity, and announced that soon there will be changes to the basis of the education system.

"I think it is very important to continue the unique information system through digitization, because practically today, education is considered insufficiently literate if that segment is not properly developed. I think that dual education with more practice must also be one of our future tasks," said Slavica Djukic Dejanovic.

She added that one of the future tasks will be reforms in higher education through amendments to the Law on Higher Education, and noted that the law on primary and secondary education and textbooks was already up for a public debate.

(Telegraf.rs)