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Eurydice

EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice
Continuing professional development for teachers working in early childhood and school education

Serbia

9.Teachers and education staff

9.3Continuing professional development for teachers working in early childhood and school education

Last update: 9 June 2022
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As required by the Law on the Education System Foundations, all teachers – licenced and non-licenced alike - are obligated to participate in the continuing professional development process in order to improve their teaching methods and other competences.

Teachers and preschool teachers who work full time are required to complete 68 hours of different kinds of CPD each year and these hours are counted as paid work hours. Within this number of hours, 24 hours are to be dedicated to the completion of approved CPD programmes outside the school. The rest is spent on CPD programmes organised by the institution. 

The monitoring of school and preschool teachers’ participation in professional development programmes is done through a scoring system. According to this system, each hour of professional development is worth one credit, and so is a one-day professional meeting. One ECTS acquired through an accredited higher institution programme is worth 25 credits. Teachers have to gather at least 120 credits by participating in different kinds of CPD programmes over a 5-year period. At least 30 credits have to be acquired through programmes focusing on priority topics, determined by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development.

Promotion of school and preschool teachers on the basis of CPD participation is possible and it requires (among other conditions) at least 170 CPD credits over the period of 5 years. 

Organisational Aspects

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development prescribes the priority CPD topics each 3 years, as well as forms and procedures of CPD realisations, programmes, conditions of CPD-based promotions, certification and all other regulations. At school level, school CPD plan is required. At individual teacher’s level, teachers ought to have a personal CPD plan (portfolio), based on the self-evaluation of their competences. 

Since 2012, the CPD training plan is an integral part of school development plan and annual plan. In-school CPD programmes are determined by the school professional development plan. This plan is issued by the school management board as a regular part of the school annual plan, in line with school development plan and based on the school’s priorities and educational goals, and standards prescribed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development. School priorities are specified by taking into account the teachers’ personal professional development plans and self-evaluation results, evaluation of education quality in the school, pupils’ and parents’ opinion on the school work and other indicators of teaching quality.

According to the Amendments to the Law on the Education System Foundations (2013), accredited CPD programmes are financed or co-financed by the state budget and local authorities’ budget. Some courses are also offered free of charge.

  • In-school programmes, organised by schools (only for teachers who work in schools conducting such programmes):
    • Prominent classes or discussions;
    • Presentation of completed programmes outside school;
    • Research, education and experimental projects;
    • Professional in-school trainings.

In-school professional development programmes are determined by the school professional development plan. This plan is issued by the school management board as a regular part of the school Annual Plan, based on the school’s priorities and educational goals, and standards prescribed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development. School priorities are specified by taking into account the teachers’ personal professional development plans and self-evaluation results, evaluation of education quality in the school, students’ and parents’ opinion on the school work and other indicators of teaching quality.

Personal professional development plans are made by teachers themselves and are based on the self-evaluation of their teaching competences.

  • Professional development programmes and conferences organised by different institutions: schools (open participation), NGOs, agencies, educational institutions, centres for professional development etc. These programmes have to be approved by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development.

Different kinds of education-related topics may be covered by professional development trainings. However, special attention is given to priority topics, which are determined by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development. Current (2012-2015) priority topics are:

  • Prevention of violence, harassment and neglect;
  • Prevention of discrimination;
  • Inclusion of children from vulnerable groups;
  • Communication skills;
  • Earning motivation;
  • Strengthening professional capacities of teachers, especially regarding teaching methods and class management;
  • Collaboration with parents, students and student parliaments;
  • ICT.

Professional development training programmes last from 8 to 24 hours, with a maximum of 8 hours per day. They are held by at least 2 trainers and with a maximum of 30 participants.

Teachers who work full time are required to complete 68 hours of different kinds of professional development each year and these hours are counted as paid work hours. Within this number of hours, 24 hours are to be dedicated to the completion of approved professional development programmess outside the school. The rest is spent on professional development programmes organised by the school.

The monitoring of teachers’ participation in professional development programmes is done through a scoring system. According to this system, each hour of professional development is worth one point, and so is a one-day professional meeting. One ECTS acquired on an accredited higher institution programme is worth 25 points. Teachers have to gather at least 120 points by participating in different kinds of professional development programmes over a 5-year period. At least 30 points have to be acquired through programmes focusing on priority topics.

Incentives for Participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Activities

In the course of the professional development process, teachers may be promoted by being granted one of the following titles: educational adviser; independent educational adviser; educational consultant; and senior educational consultant. Such promotion depends on the number of points received for the completion of professional development programmes, years of work experience and activities undertaken by the teacher aimed at improving the quality of education in the school. In order to be promoted, teachers must earn at least 50 CPD credits during 5 years in addition to the general requirement of 120 credits. Promoted teachers are entitled to salary increase. Promotion is regulated by the Amendments to the Law on the Education System Foundations and school authorities/leaders decide whether a teacher satisfies all conditions for promotion.

Teachers may spend 3 working days per year participating in approved professional development trainings. A schedule of teachers’ absences in a school year is determined by the respective Teachers’ Council.

Upon completion of each programme, teachers receive certificates approved by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development.