Preschool and School education 

Education of children with special educational needs

The education system is aimed at developing democratic values and creating an environment with no social exclusion or other forms of discriminatory behaviour. The General Law on Education, Article 9a prescribes the prohibition of any form of discrimination in the field of education.

Education of children with special educational needs (SEN) is part of the uniform educational system and a public interest activity, based on the Law on Education of Children with Special Educational Needs from 2025, which have set the legal framework and the obligation of additional improvement of the position and educational provision to children with special educational needs, as well as on special laws governing preschool, primary, secondary general and vocational education.

Montenegrin education system has set inclusive education within the mainstream schools as the first option and an imperative for children with special educational needs, which is reflected in the constant increase in the number of children with special educational needs (SEN) in these institutions. Children with developmental disabilities and difficulties who cannot receive education at schools are educated at resource centres, when this is in their best interest, because of the necessary support and tight connection between education, habilitation and rehabilitation.

The goals of education of children with special educational needs are:
1) ensuring equal opportunities for education for all children;
2) ensuring appropriate conditions that enable optimal development;
3) timely guidance and inclusion in an appropriate education program;
4) individual approach;
5) maintaining a balance of physical, intellectual, emotional and social development;
6) involving parents in the process of habilitation, rehabilitation and education;
7) continuity of education programs;
8) comprehensiveness and complexity of education;
9) organizing education as close to the place of residence as possible;
10) ensuring adequate educational technology;
11) providing technical assistance to children with special educational needs.

The Education Reform Strategy 2025-2035,  specifically the Operational objective 1.2: Reduced inequalities in coverage and achievement, including vulnerable and marginalized groups, envisages the Measure 1.2.2 Develop policies and interventions in the field of inclusive education in order to promote and ensure full inclusion and equal access, with appropriate adaptations and support services, through the improvement of inclusive education policies to support vulnerable groups; monitoring and evaluation of implementation/adherence to inclusive educational policies; developing interdepartmental cooperation in order to support the holistic needs of students, establishing intersectoral and intersectoral cooperation between education, social services and health, schools and resource centers in order to support the transition of children and students within and from one educational level to another, but also support services (families, additional professional support, licensed services, mentors, career guidance counselors, etc.), implementation of campaigns for broad social support for inclusion, redirection of the inclusive paradigm and improvement of the organization and scope of inclusive services (schools with integrated departments, resource centers) through more inclusive systematization and services.

Integration of Roma and Egyptian students

The integration of Roma and Egyptian children into the education system is one of the strategic goals of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation. The Ministry, in cooperation with national and international partners, implements a large number of activities in order to increase the education coverage of children from this population.

The Education Reform Strategy 2025 - 2035, specifically the Operational objective 1.2: Reduced inequalities in coverage and achievement, including vulnerable and marginalized groups, Measure 1.2.1. Targeted support in the education and inclusion of students belonging to the population of Roma and Egyptians and cooperation programs with their communities in order to raise the level of awareness of the importance of inclusion of vulnerable groups, envisages the support within the school specifically adapted to the needs of children, e.g. help in language learning, support in learning and regular strengthening of the capacities of educators, teachers, professional associates and management of kindergartens and schools for cultural sensitivity, scholarships and other financial incentives intended specifically for these students; Monitoring and evaluation systems in order to monitor and support academic achievements, while ensuring the provision of feedback. Finally, it envisages the development of a system for monitoring and evaluation in order to monitor and support the academic achievements of Roma and Egyptian students, while ensuring the provision of feedback. 

Students of Roma and Egyptian population are at greater risk of early school leaving (drop-out). In that sense, a Protocol on dealing with and preventing early school leaving was developed and sent to schools. The Protocol refers to the application of procedures and the cooperation of institutions and focuses on the implementation and prevention of early school leaving with a focus on children of Roma and Egyptian population. Also in schools with a larger number of Roma and Egyptian children, there are coordination teams for monitoring and prevention of drop-out of Roma and Egyptian children.

In accordance with the Education Reform Strategy 2025–2035, as well as the Draft Strategy for the Social Inclusion of Roma and Egyptians in Montenegro 2026–2030, measures and activities aimed at improving the position of Roma and Egyptians are foreseen, as well as the implementation of regular activities that the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation continuously carries out in this area:
- Promotion of enrollment of RE children in preschool education, primary and secondary education;
- Exemption from paying the costs of preschool education for children of the Roma and Egyptian population;
- Increasing the number of collaborators in social inclusion RE in the field of education with a special focus on preschool and primary education;
- Providing transportation for RE children;
- Increasing the rate of completion of primary education and continuation of education in secondary school;
- Grant of scholarships to high school students and students of the Roma and Egyptian population;
- Celebrating International Roma Day in schools;
- Free Program of elementary functional literacy and adult education for the RE population. 

When it comes to preschool education, the Ministry provides a free of charge place in preschool institutions for children of Roma and Egyptian (RE) population. In accordance with the Education Reform Strategy 2025 - 2035, as well as in accordance with the draft Strategy of Social Inclusion of Roma and Egyptians in Montenegro 2026 - 2030, the enrollment of children in kindergartens is promoted in Roma and Egyptian communities. Discussions are held with parents with the aim of informing them about the advantages of preschool education, with the distribution of promotional material in Montenegrin, Roma and Albanian languages. 

Campaigns are also being implemented to promote enrollment in primary and secondary schools. For these levels of education, the Ministry hires associates (mediators) in social inclusion of Roma and Egyptians. Mediators in social inclusion support children from the Roma and Egyptian population with the aim of including them in the education system, ensuring continuity and reducing dropping out of education, as well as improving school and social achievements. They promote the importance of learning and cooperate intensively with parents and educational institutions. 

The principle of affirmative action enables students from the Roma and Egyptian (RE) population to enroll in secondary schools more easily through the allocation of additional points: A candidate belonging to the Roma and Egyptian (RE) population receives six (6) additional points when ranking for enrollment in the first grade of secondary school.

Educational support and guidance

At schools, all children are provided with professional support by professional associates: school counsellors, psychologists, special education teachers. Career advising is carried out by professional associates, as well as teachers. Strategic framework for career advising was provided in the Strategy for Lifelong Career Guidance in Montenegro (2016-2020) following up on the measures and activities defined in the National Strategy of Lifelong Career Guidance in Montenegro (2011-2015), and is based on the achieved level of career guidance development in Montenegro, as well as on the need to further develop and institutionally improve career guidance system by defining priorities, measures and activities required to achieve them. In accordance with the Strategy, basic objectives in the field of career guidance include:

• providing each individual, at all life stages, with information on the opportunities for learning, acquiring qualifications, employment;

• providing each individual with services of career advising and guidance, regardless of their age, gender, nationality, background, bearing in mind the needs of the individual and of society;

• providing support for employment and entrepreneurship to the young and old, as well as improvement of accountability for one’s own actions in career development in order to avoid unemployment;

• reducing time of transition from education to labour by developing career management skills.

Higher education

Adult education