The Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of the Sarajevo Canton announces major changes. All first graders will have English language, Information Technology Studies and a third hour of physical education.
During the recent months there has been a lot of talk about the need for changes in the education system in KS. There are numerous advocates who want the education system to return to the seminal eight- year system. Still, the leaders of the Ministry decided to analyse and revise the curriculum, while still keeping the current nine-year system.
After completing the survey, the Ministry has decided to include two new subjects into the curriculum of first graders. Those subjects are English language and information technology studies. The number of hours of physical education will also be increased from two to three in a week.
The first graders of KS will have eight subjects and ninth elective courses (religion or society).
Class teachers will teach information technology studies and physical education from the first to the fifth grade.
The training and development of the class teacher who will teach information technology studies will be held in July and August.
As regards to the curriculum changes for second and third graders, the only change is an increase in the number of hours of physical education. Fourth grade students will have two hours of English language and three hours of physical education.
Fifth grade students will have an increased number of hours of physical education and a decreased number of English language hours.
The president of the Association of Teachers of KS, Nihada Čolić says that this reform represents a great insight into positive changes.
She says that these subjects are a basis of a modern curriculum, not a load for the students.
She also adds that all teachers will be fully qualified to teach those subjects.
”Our teachers have a high level of competence for the realization of educational contents. It is important to emphasize that first graders will be with their class teachers, and they will only have a separate teacher for English language hours,” says Čolić.
”It is necessary for our students to develop generic skills, and not only to study and reproduce contents that don’t help them develop their critical thinking skills. During the first triad the class does not last for 45 minutes, it lasts as long as the students pay their attention. The students will not be loaded. The development of generic skills is a very important aim of every modern curriculum, and that’s why we wanted something new and refreshing,” says Saudin Sivro, the president of the Cantonal Committee of Independent Syndicate of Primary Education in FbiH.
The Syndicate asked the Ministry to secure resources amounting 500. 000 BAM for the education of class teachers. Whether the Ministry is going to secure those resources and what is going to be included in this education remains unknown.
(Source: klix)
