Accessibility of Preschool Education

The positioning of institutions in the territory of Montenegro provides citizens with equal access to education. Preschool education is carried out in preschool institutions, which can be public and private. The network of preschool institutions in Montenegro is composed of 21 public preschool institutions and 30 private preschool institutions. Private preschools exist mainly in larger cities (Podgorica, Budva, Bar, Tivat, Herceg Novi, Kotor, Niksic and Ulcinj). In the school year 2019/2020, a total of 23,080 children (47% girls and 53% boys) aged 0 to primary education were included in preschool programs, in 170 educational units and 778 groups. In the school year 2015/2016, when the Strategy of Early and Preschool Education 2016-2020 began to be implemented, a total of 16,972 children were included in 123 educational units and 575 educational groups. Based on these data, it can be concluded that during the implementation of the previous Strategy there was a significant increase in the number of children (by 36%), as well as an increase in capacity (the number of educational units increased by 38% and the number of educational groups by 35%) and that the upward trend was uniform over the years.

Equal access to preschool education is granted to every child and it cannot be directly or indirectly limited on grounds of: gender, race, skin colour, language, religion, national, ethnic or other background, developmental difficulty and disability, social background or other personal feature or circumstance (Law on Preschool Education).

Preschool education includes children up to the age of 6, i.e. until entering primary school. Children up to the age of 3 are in nurseries, and those between the ages of 3 and 6 are in kindergartens and organized in age groups. The total coverage of preschool children (0 to 6 years) in Montenegro in the school year 2019/2020 is about 52%. The coverage was significantly lower for children up to 3 years of age attending nursery (about 37%), while the coverage of children aged 3 years before starting primary school, attending kindergartens, was significantly higher (about 77%).

In order to provide every child with the best start, i.e. bearing in mind that neurological development in children is most intense in the period of preschool education, we considered it necessary to continue the development of this level of education through the preparation of a new draft Strategy for early and preschool education for the period 2021 - 2025. Children's learning in pre-school education greatly contributes to the overall development of children, in terms of socio-emotional competencies, future school and life performance, personality formation as well as in relation to numerous social benefits, including prevention of undesirable social phenomena, savings in social and health care. Bearing in mind that there is still room in Montenegro for the improvement of preschool education, the strategic goal in the next four years is: Ensuring equal opportunities for early development of all children in Montenegro by strengthening the availability, quality and justice of preschool education.

The Strategy of Inclusive Education (2019-2025) determines further directions for the development of education for children with special educational needs. The Strategy includes principles, theoretical and practical achievements in the direction of developing the potential of children with special educational needs, but also the society itself. The rights-based approach aims to prevent, remove barriers to participation and achievement during schooling for all children. The guiding principle of the Strategy of Inclusive Education is - Promotion, protection, ensuring full and equal participation of all children with special educational needs in inclusive education without discrimination, exclusion and on the basis of equality with others. The vision of the Strategy of Inclusive Education is to provide children with special educational needs with accessible, affordable quality inclusive education at all levels.

The goal is operationalized through 3 tasks:

Task 1: Ensure and implement accessibility and equity of education for all children; 

Task 2: Ensure and implement continuity of inclusive education from the moment of disability / developmental discovery to full and effective participation in society;

Task 3: To support and promote the quality of inclusive education.

During the first two years of implementation, the key activities defined by the Strategy of Inclusive Education during 2019, were placed on early and continuous support to children. Immediate work was based on their needs, possibilities and is individually conceived. For that purpose of strengthening competencies, targeted, specialized training was conducted. During 2020, the dynamics of trainings were under the influence of the pandemic caused by the COVID 19 virus. Accordingly, special emphasis was placed on adequate support for teachers and children. The work was based on the needs of children, possibilities and was individually conceived. For this purpose, adaptation was carried out by individualization, promotion, training and practical management of staff with the constant support of specialized, better organized and more accessible professionals.

Staff training was carried out, as well as coaching of work in the RE community and kindergartens. The teams were formed and responsibilities were defined. The Final check list was conceived - monitoring the work and development of RE children, field activities with the aim of educational informing parents in terms of emotional desensitization, explanation of measures, hygienic procedures. The prepared material were used for the beginning of the school year. The first assessment of the children was conducted, the priorities were set and  a plan for 2021 was developed.

Children without parental care who have been placed in a social care institution are also integrated into regular peer activities.

In order to provide accessible, high-quality, comprehensive, culturally-tailored, inclusive services for all children in Montenegro, from their birth until entering primary school, with special emphasis on the most vulnerable children, nearly 80% of total costs of preschool education are provided by the state, whereas the rest is provided from fees paid by parents. Parents are obliged to pay an average of 40 EUR for all-day program, and 20 EUR for half-day program.

A single parent pays 50% of the cost of their child’s stay and meals in an institution, whereas the stay of a child without parental care, a child whose parents are beneficiaries of material family support and child from the most vulnerable groups, are covered by a centre for social services on the territory where the child or the parent resides.

UNICEF and the Ministry of Education launch a public campaign "Everybody in kindergarten" to promote early childhood education in five municipalities in the north of the country with the lowest enrollment rate. The campaign "I will shine in kindergarten", "Every falcon in kindergarten" was implemented in order to raise the awareness of the citizens about the importance of pre-school education. Particularly it works with children living in remote, rural and hard-to-reach areas in a way that educators work with children and children in the local area through interactive services. Interactive services, established in 17 municipalities, have proven to be a good tool to make preschool education accessible to children from remote settlements who are less involved in PE. An important advantage of interactive services is their flexibility, i.e. capacity to adapt to the specifics of children, families and the conditions in which they live. In addition, in some cases, interactive services have been transformed into new educational units, thus contributing to the expansion of the network of educational units.

Admission Requirements and Choice of Preschool Institution

The procedure and criteria for admission of children in preschool institutions are laid down by the Rulebook on the closer manner, procedure and criteria for admission of children in institutions providing preschool education.

Admission of children is conducted on the basis of a public call, announced by preschool institution in accordance with the number of available places per educational unit. The call for admission of children is announced in at least one printed daily and, as a rule, on the website of the institution with a 15-day deadline for applications.

In Montenegro, we strive to include all preschool children in the best possible way in the educational process, encourage and ensure their early learning and development. Enrollment is done only for children who have not been covered by the preschool education program so far or who have been enrolled. For the school year 2020/2021, parents had the opportunity to electronically submit an application for enrollment of children on the web address www.upisi.edu.me. The approach established in previous years is that it should start from the best interests of children and the needs of parents, and be guided by the principle of equal opportunities and enable all children to be included in preschool education.

Before a child enters an educational unit, a parent needs to:

• provide medical certificate for a child;
• sign a statement on authorised persons who can take the child out of the institution;
• conclude a contract on mutual rights and obligations between parents and institution.

A child may be transferred from one educational institution to another on the request of parents, if there are conditions for admission of the child in that other institution.

Children with infectious diseases may be temporarily excluded from the institution on the basis of a doctor’s report, in accordance with the statute of the institution.

Age Levels and Grouping of Children

Preschool education includes children up to entering primary school. It is provided in preschool institutions and nurseries for children between the ages of 0 and 3, i.e. in kindergartens for children between the ages of 3 and 6.

In preschool institutions, educational groups are organised according to the age of children.

Depending on the age of children, the number of children enrolled in an educational group for the primary programme is:

1. 8 for children up to the age of one;
2. 12 for children up to the age of two;
3. 14 for children up to the age of three;
4. 10 for children in a mixed group up to the age of three;
5. 20 for children from the age of three to four;
6. 24 for children from the age of four to five;
7. 25 for children from the age of five to six;
8. 20 for children in a mixed group from the age of three to six.

In the educational group that includes children with disabilities and developmental difficulties, the number of children can be reduced, following the Ministry’s approval.

Educational work with children up to the age of three is performed by an educator, and care and preventive protection by a pediatric nurse, i.e. a health technician. Educational work with children aged three years before starting school is performed by an educator, and preventive health care for children is performed by a nurse, pediatric, or a health technician. Educational work for the English language program is performed by an English teacher.

Home-based educational work with children is performed by a preschool education teacher who has been registered as a private educator. A professional associate provides assistance to teacher and nurse in carrying out the professional tasks, while the educational work for the English language programme is carried out by an English teacher.

Through the programme of strengthening parental competences, educational and professional staff provides support, educates and affirms the role of parents, and encourages the use of parents’ potential through a library of toys and books.

In addition to the free use of toys, books and other development-stimulating materials, parents receive information and practical instructions on how to encourage their child’s development, thus encouraging comprehensive development of the child at home.

As a rule, interactive services are organized at the institution that covers remote rural areas. The interactive service instructs parents, promotes and carries out programmes and activities related to the development of a child, etc., through home visits to family and children, in a remote rural area.

Organisation of Time

Preschool education is carried out according to the preschool education programme. The time of organising educational work in institutions during the year is determined by the founder, with the approval of the body of local self-government, depending on the content of the programme being implemented, in accordance with the needs and interests of parents and children, as well as climate and other environmental conditions.

The implementation of the preschool education programme begins on 1 September and ends on 31 August. During the summer and winter breaks, as well as during the holidays, preschool education programme is carried out at the on-duty institutions in accordance with the needs of parents, i.e. the number of children.

The primary programme is implemented as a full-day program, taking six to nine hours, or as a half-day program, taking four to six hours, while the shorter programme takes three hours, and specialized programme takes up to four hours.

An institution is obliged to offer an English language programme for children from the age of three until starting school, in accordance with the parents’ decision.

The institution may occasionally organize outdoor programmes and programmes of a tourism character following the opinion of the Parents’ Council, after the decision of the governing board of the institution.

A shorter programme can be organized one or several times a week, taking up to four hours, in accordance with the needs and interests of children and parents. For children not included in the primary program, for the purpose of more efficient preparation for primary school, the institution must implement children’s primary school program. An institution organizes the preparation programme for children not covered by the primary program, in time that which does not disturb its regular work and program. This programme is implemented for children between the ages of 5 and starting primary school.

Specialized programmes are offered in accordance with the expressed child’s preferences and the parents’ decision.

Depending on spatial and staffing possibilities an institution may, organize a programme of children’s stay, as well as other programmes for children’s animation and entertainment.

Organisation of Day and Week

An institution adopts annual work plan. The annual work plan of the institution defines in more detail: organisation, form, contents and schedule of activities of educational work.

Working hours of preschool institutions is from 06:00 to 17:00, yet, as a rule, it is adapted to the needs of parents.

The table below shows weekly schedule of activities in a preschool institution.