Optimization of the Network of Schools in Serbia Project Was Conducted by the Education Forum from October 2001 to November 2002
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Novi Knezevac Subotica Kanjiza 0 − 50 Senta Coka Sombor 50 − 75 Backa Topola Ada Kikinda Mali Idos Nova Crnja Apatin Kula BecejNovi Becej 75 − 100 Srbobran Odzaci Vrbas Zitiste Temerin 100 − 150 Bac Zabalj Backa Palanka Zrenjanin Secanj Backi PetrovacCity of Novi Sad 150 − 250 Titel Plandiste BeocinSremski Karlovci Kovacica Irig Indija Alibunar Vrsac Sid Opovo Sremska Mitrovica Stara Pazova Palilula Ruma Bela Crkva Bogatic Pancevo PecinciZemunNovi Beograd Kovin Sabac CukaricaRakovica Veliko Gradiste Vladimirevci Pozarevac Obrenovac Grocka Golubac Loznica Barajevo Smederevo Koceljeva Sopot Malo Crnice Ub Kucevo Krupanj Mladenovac Lazarevac Zabari Majdanpek Mali Zvornik Osecina Lajkovac Arandelovac Velika PlanaPetrovac Valjevo Negotin Topola Ljubovija Ljig Mionica Raca Svilajnac Zagubica Lapovo Bor Despotovac Kosjeric Gornji MilanovacCity of Kragujevac JagodinaCuprija Bajina Basta Knic Zajecar Uzice Cacak Paracin optimizationRekovac Boljevac Lucani Varvarin Cajetina Razanj Arilje Cicevac Sokobanja Kraljevo Trstenik OF THE NETWORK OF SCHOOLSVrnjacka Banja IN SERBIA Priboj Krusevac Aleksinac Knjazevac Nova Varos Ivanjica Aleksandrovac Prjepolje City of Nis Brus Blace Merosina Bela Palanka Sjenica Prokuplje Gadzin Han Pirot Novi Pazar Zitorada Kursumlija Bojnik VlasotinceBabusnica Dimitrovgrad Tutin Leskovac Lebane Medveda Vladicin Han Surdulica Vranje aleksandar bogojević Bujanovac (2)Trgoviste Presevo (2) ivan ivić raša karapandža education forum The Optimization of the Network of Schools in Serbia project was conducted by the Education Forum from October 2001 to November 2002. The project was done at the behest of the Ministry of Education and Sport of the Republic of Serbia and with the support of the Belgrade Office of UNICEF. The success of the project is a testament of the productive partnership between those three institutions. The current report documents the methodology developed and used by the project, gives an in- depth presentation of projects findings, conclu- sions and recommendations as well as a compre- hensive list of project results and products. Education Forum, 2002 Electronic versions of Education Forum publications may be found at: http://www.efprum.eu.org 2 optimization of the network of schools in serbia optimization of the network of schools in serbia 3 Table of Contents Preface 7 A. Introductory material 9 A1. Defining the problem .......................................................... 9 Background ...................................................................... 9 Project overview ................................................................ 11 Time frame ....................................................................... 13 Organization and outcomes ................................................. 14 A2. Basic characteristics ........................................................... 17 A3. Data acquisition ................................................................. 39 Forming of the project database .......................................... 40 Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see .. 43 Field work ......................................................................... 45 B. Network of Schools 57 B1. Products of the project “Optimization of the network of schools in Serbia” .............................................................. 57 B2. Current state of the network ............................................... 59 Connection of schools to utilities .......................................... 59 Small schools .................................................................... 72 Work in shifts .................................................................... 78 Multigrade classrooms and demographic change..................... 83 Networks of special, art and secondary school........................ 85 Gender balance ................................................................. 90 School equipment .............................................................. 90 Distributions of student/teacher ratios and of the 2 optimization of the network of schools in serbia optimization of the network of schools in serbia 3 Age of schools ................................................................... 100 B3. Basic cost-benefit analysis ................................................... 103 C. Strategies and models of optimization 113 C1. Optimization vs. rationalization ............................................ 113 C2. Optimization strategies ....................................................... 117 C3. Optimization parameters ..................................................... 119 C4. Hierarchical levels on which to implement Network optimization ......................................................... 123 C5. Optimization models ........................................................... 127 D. Specific pedagogical problems of the part of the network dealing with small schools 143 D1. Organization of schools ....................................................... 149 D2. Changes in the school calendar ............................................ 149 D3. Change of school programs ................................................. 150 D4. Specific pedagogy of multi-grade classes .............................. 150 D5. Local educational resources ................................................. 151 D6. Teaching/learning methods ................................................. 152 D7. Grading students ............................................................... 152 D8. Training teachers for work in small schools ............................ 153 D9. Professional assistance to teachers in small schools ................ 154 D10. Follow-up activity related to the optimizing of small school .... 155 E. Conclusions and recommendations 157 E1. Findings ............................................................................ 157 E2. Recommendations .............................................................. 163 E3. General conclusions regarding optimization ............................ 167 F. Appendices 173 F1. Education parameters in the project database ........................ 173 Basic parameters ............................................................... 173 4 optimization of the network of schools in serbia optimization of the network of schools in serbia 5 Basic geographical data .................................................... 174 Auxiliary school parameters .............................................. 174 Additional data for municipalities ....................................... 175 F2. Proposal for the future organizing of annual network monitoring and optimization ............................................... 179 F3. Proposed questionnaire for annual monitoring of the network .......................................................................... 183 F4. Present and future follow-up projects and initiatives ............. 203 General directions - regional projects and rural development .. 205 F5. Project material available in electronic form ......................... 209 F6. Media visibility of the project ............................................. 211 F7. Members of the project’s teams and their affiliations ............. 213 Authors .......................................................................... 213 Core team ...................................................................... 213 List of experts that participated in project discussions .......... 214 Consultants .................................................................... 215 External consultants ........................................................ 216 F8. Gallery of school toilets ..................................................... 219 G. Figure and map captions 221 H. Bibliography 227 4 optimization of the network of schools in serbia optimization of the network of schools in serbia 5 6 optimization of the network of schools in serbia optimization of the network of schools in serbia 7 Preface This document gives a detailed exposition of the final results, employed meth- odology and recommendations of the year long project: Optimization of the Net- work of Schools in Serbia. The project was conducted through the active partner- ship of three institutions: Education Forum, Belgrade Office of UNICEF and the Ministry of Education of Serbia. The network of schools is an important part of the education system of any coun- try. The functioning of such an intricate system strongly affects many sectors of society. Because of this it was necessary to assemble a truly multidisciplinary group of experts who would look at the network and its functioning from the points of view of pedagogy, economy, school administration, culture, rural devel- opment, complex systems, information technology, etc. As head of the project it is my privilege to acknowledge the help of all of the experts that contributed to this project. The individual contributions of these people and their affiliations are given in section F7. The results of this activity are many and are documented in detail in this report. Briefly, the project’s results include: • Creation of the current document containing a description of the state of the network of schools and the strategies and models for its optimization. • Creation of a modular, web-based educational information system and the integrating of that database into a Geographical Information System (GIS) environment. The integrated educational information system is to be used both as an planning tool and as a platform