17 percent of the Serbia population is illiterate

Antonijevic, as guest on Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), stressed that 17 percent of the population is illiterate and 23 percent has only finished elementary school, which means that 40 percent of the population does not have any work qualification. Deputy Minister said that the Government of Serbia had adopted last year a new Law on Adult Education.

The law stipulates that basic education for adults lasts three years – one year to master the cycle from the first to fourth grade, second year the fifth and sixth grade, and third year the seventh and eighth grade. “Everywhere in the world, including us, trend is that literacy has to be raised. One of the basic conditions of employment is at least completed elementary school,” said Antonijevic. He said that in Serbia there are 13 elementary schools for adults, and that the project “Second Chance” predicted classes for adults in 70 regular schools.

Education for adults is free, he said, and added that some of the participants, after they finish elementary school, continue their education and complete secondary school and apprenticeship. Speaking of equipping schools in flooded areas, Antonijevic said that all elementary schools and kindergartens will be ready to start working on September 1 and one or two high schools will be relocated, but that they will also start working in the fall, In Serbia reports.- Oculus News