Inclusion and education

BOX 4.3: 
In Serbia, NGOs have taken part in policy proposals 
on teaching assistants
Inclusive education was introduced in Serbia as a strategic priority in 
2009, but only recently has policy addressed the issue of teaching 
assistants. Based on the experience of pedagogical assistants 
supporting Roma families, a cross-sector working group was 
formed to work on a policy for assistants to support learners with 
special education needs. The group included representatives of the 
Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, 
the Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Unit at the Office of the 
Prime Minister, the Faculty for Special Education and Rehabilitation 
of the University of Belgrade, the Education Programme of UNICEF 
Serbia, the Association of Schools for Pupils with Developmental 
Disorders and Disabilities, the Institute for Education Evaluation, 
the Institute for Education Development, the National Council for 
the Roma National Minority and the Association for Pedagogical 
Assistance. The outcome was a rule book describing two types of 
teaching assistants.
The first type consists of pedagogical assistants for Roma students 
needing additional education support. These assistants are also 
expected to support teachers, educators and other professionals 
in teaching and extracurricular activities to improve their work 
with Roma students. Another important element of their work is 
to actively and continuously cooperate with students’ families to 
improve the social, health and emotional status of the students.
The second type of assistant, in accordance with the 10-year 
practice of inclusive education in Serbia, aims to meet the need for 
pedagogical assistants for students with disabilities. The support 
they are to provide depends on the students’ development, 
education and social needs.
Putting the rule book into practice faces major challenges. 
Amendments must be made to policies linked directly or indirectly 
to employment of assistants. A separate rule book on education 
institution financing must also be amended and additional budget 
sources found. However, publication of the rule book on teaching 
assistants makes other necessary policy changes possible.
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C E N T R A L A N D E A S T E R N E U R O P E , C A U C A S U S A N D C E N T R A L A S I A

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