2026

On January 2026, the Parliament of Montenegro adopted the Law on Preschool Education. The aim of the new Law is to improve and modernize the existing legal framework, harmonize it with international standards and eliminate perceived deficiencies in the application of current regulations. 

The Law introduces the Calendar of educational work for the first time, which clearly defines the time of organizing educational work in preschool institutions. Furthermore, the possibility of organizing educational work during the duty period is foreseen, as well as the deadlines for adopting the Annual Work Program and its content. In relation to the existing legal solution, the enrollment of children is now more clearly and precisely defined, as well as the possibility of the institution to initiate the procedure of a unique expert opinion on disability, based on a certificate of a systematic medical examination of the child, which was not the case until now. The provisions for educational and professional staff are specified and assistants for early development are introduced in order to provide additional assistance to educators and nurses.

In accordance with the provisions of the Law, children in institutions acquire knowledge and skills for the development of independence, hygiene habits and care for health, i.e. basic health care. Basic health care is provided in accordance with the norms and standards of hygiene and proper nutrition of children, which are adopted by the administrative body responsible for health affairs based on the opinion of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation.

2025

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation formed a Working Group for the preparation of the Draft Law on Preschool Education. The adoption of a new Draft of the Law on Preschool Education aims to improve and modernize the legal framework that governs the field of preschool education, harmonization with international standards, as well as elimination of observed deficiencies in the application of major regulations. The Law prescribes the conditions for the work of institutions, personnel standards, norms, conditions for licensing educational institutions, as well as supervision and monitoring of the quality of work.

The aim of adopting the new Draft of the Law is:
- the quality of the improvement of preschool education and education services;
- precise definition of educational work programs;
- introduction of a new personnel profile - Early Development Assistant;
- digitalization of records and administration;
- introduction of normative and standard proper nutrition and hygiene;
- introduction of the work calendar of preschool education;
- regulation of special forms of work in extraordinary periods (on-call duty);
- creation of conditions for uniform availability of services on the territory of Montenegro, including the organization of interactive services in smaller and remote areas.
- the issue of the rights of children with special educational needs is precisely regulated in accordance with the Law on the Uniform Disability Expertise of Children with Special Educational Needs, which contributes to their inclusion in the educational system and the regulation of their enrollment.

Amendments to the Rulebook on norms and standards for the acquisition of funds from public revenues for institutions implementing publicly valid educational programs were adopted. Increasing the number of psychologists, pedagogues in educational institutions, as well as defectologists and speech therapists in resource centers, is the most significant measure provided for in this Rulebook, in order to provide psychosocial support and prevent violence and preserve mental health. The quality of the provision of services and health care will also improve in preschool institutions, where an increase in workers in medical care, as well as food preparation and serving, has been established.

2024

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Clinical Center of Montenegro implemented a three-day training on the topic: Theoretical and interactive training on neurodevelopmental disorders and early intervention. The training represents the coordination of departments, and measures of two strategies: inclusive education and early development and was implemented for about forty participants mainly from kindergartens (administrations, professional service, educators, and especially focus on nurses). 

A project "Climate shelters for disabled children" was implemented with kindergartens, with the aim of giving children with disabilities a quiet corner in the space they stay in (plants, aquarium, animals)

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation issued a Decision on the adoption of a publicly valid educational program for preschool education and it is being piloted. A working group was formed to implement the piloting of this program and the accompanying education for educators, professional staff and management staff, as well as representatives of the Ministry, was also implemented.

A Working group for the development of Norms and standards of proper nutrition in preschool institutions was appointed. On 30th October 2023, a working version of norms was presented, i.e. a proposal for the structure of the document with content and a tabular representation of the menu with energy values for nurseries and kindergartens. The final version was adopted in February 2024. 

A revised portfolio for preschool children was created based on the teacher's suggestions and monitoring reports. There will be a digital version of the portfolio and, in cooperation with the IT sector of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation and the UNICEF, it will be uploaded on the digital platform www.digitalnaskola.edu.me.