Challenges of democratisation: development of inclusive education in Serbia

Abstract

Educational reforms, as initiated in Serbia in 2001, were based on the concept of quality education for all. This concept was put into practice as an inclusive approach in 2010/11. Inclusive education has been defined as a provision of full support and optimal environment for each student to be taught in the nearest school and in a regular class. In this paper we review the achieved results in providing necessary conditions for a successful implementation of the inclusive education, i.e., school policy, preparation of teachers, building-up their attitudes and system of values, as well as attitudes and system of values of other participants in the educational process. It has been shown that educational institutions, teaching staff and other participants in the educational process are fully aware of the need for an integrated schooling of all children and accept the concept of inclusive education. However, several shortcomings of the current inclusive education have been revealed. They are a consequence of the means it has been implemented, as well as socio-economic conditions that affect the Serbian society and educational sector as its part.