In the Sarajevo Canton the new curriculum for primary education has been adopted. According to the new curriculum, all children who are starting their education in 2016/17 will have two additional subjects, English language and IT, and beside this, the number of hours of English language and physical education will be increased from two to three classes per week.
As the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth states, this reform was indispensable and it will not put a further burden on the children, which should calm fears of the parents.
The students will have the opportunity to study these two key subjects through fun and games.
The Additional Physical Activity will be Welcomed by Students
“We’re extremely happy to introduce the additional hours of physical education since we’re trying to engage children in more physical activities and recreation. This will certainly bring a smile to their faces,” comments Aida Jerlagić, the vice-president of the Association of Teachers KS.
“The children will receive additional contents demanded by their age. They’re in need of a constant change of activities, so this will serve more as a relief for them. Parents shouldn’t be afraid that children will have too much of a burden or that they’re going to have more obligations in school or at home,” said Jerlagić.
The teachers are the main carriers of the reform process. They want to gain skills and knowledge in order to transfer it to the children.
IT will be taught by teachers who will go through individual and group education with the professor from the Faculty of Science of the University of Sarajevo during the last two weeks of August and they are sure that this time is enough for teachers to gain adequate training.
Appropriate Simple Content
“IT for the first grade of primary school will be based on activities of a preventive nature from this area, e.g. ‘how to sit at a computer’ etc. The content will be simple, no software programs are going to be included,” said the Ministry.
English language for first graders is also innovative, as well as the additional hour of physical education.
Avoiding Gaps in the Study of Foreign Language
By introducing English language to first graders the unnecessary break between learning the foreign language in kindergarten and the third grade of primary school will be skipped.
The Ministry considers that this two year break, when children have the best abilities to learn, is completely unacceptable.
“This is a high quality and positive change that will contribute to the better education of our children,” they added.
The reform of the educational system will be applied to the Sarajevo Canton, even though other cantons of FBiH are interested in other projects.
(Source: klix.ba)
