The Project "Improvement of Preschool Education" Ended

The final conference was held on 25 April 2014 in Belgrade.


The EU financed project "Improvement of Preschool Education in Serbia" ended end of May 2014. The final conference of the IMPRES project was held on April 25, 2014 at Zira hotel in Belgrade Serbia. Keynote speakers at the conference were Prof. Dr. Tomislav Jovanovic, Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development, H.E. Ambassador Michael Davenport, Head of the Delegation of the European Union Delegation to Serbian and Michel Crepon, IMPRES project Team leader.

Ambassador Davenport said that the IMPRES project is one of the most successful EU funded project as part of education reform in Serbia. „We made real foundation for progress not only for seven kindergartens we built but for whole modernisation of preschool system in line with the best European and global practices. EU will continue to be your main partner in modernisation of education system as we were until now“, said Mr. Davenport.

Presentations were held by the partner of the implementing consortium amonsts others  by Kari Pitkanen (Internationaler Bund), Imelda Madigan (Early Years) and Prof. Dr. Jan Peeters, experts on the project as well as by Bratislav Nesic from Leskovac municipality and Prof. Dr. Dragana Pavlovic Breneselovic from Belgrade University.

The conference was attended by more than 160 participants - the representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, the EU Delegation to Serbia, representatives of pre-schools and local governments that participated in the project, the representatives of the preschool institutions included in the Unicef project “Kindergartens without borders - more opportunities for learning and development of young children” and institutions included in the project "Schools of Life – together for childhood" with Novak Djokovic Foundation, professional associations of preschool institutions, as well as representatives of non-governmental and representatives of the consortium partners, Richard Schottdorf of Internationaler Bund (IB), Imelda Madigan of Early Years and Claire Crochemore of SOFRECO, who implemented the project.

All preschool institutions presented creative posters with main benefits gained through IMPRES project implementation. A promotional film was presented at the conference which can be downloaded on the IB Youtube Channel.

In cooperation with 25 preschool institutions and local self-governments the project achieved successful results:

More than 1,700 children aged 3 to 6 across Serbia have been involved in preschool education. These children had previously never been able to come to kindergarten because they live in rural families, in remote areas without the ability to transport. EU donation through IMPRES project provided seven prefabricated structures. These kindergartens were built in 6 municipalities in which coverage of children has now increased. 10 vehicles for the transport of children - 9 mini vans and a bus as mobile kindergarten were delivered to preschool institutions. Every day children are transported from their home to kindergartens. Preschool teachers and other staff in preschool institutions and the representatives of the local-self governments have participated in dozens of seminars and workshops conducted by local and foreign experts. Capacity buildings have improved their knowledge about the importance of early childhood development and opportunities for improvement of everyday work with children. The project has delivered and printed 4 major manuals which never existed before in cooperation with local and international experts.

Since 2000 until today the European Union has invested around EUR 62 million donations in the education sector in Serbia. IMPRES project is the first project in the field of preschool education in Serbia, funded by the EU with 3.75 million.

The IMPRES project was implemented by the Internationaler Bund (IB), Early Years and Sofreco.

 


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