Teachers’ Union Opposes New Candidate for Education Minister

Slavica Djukic Dejanovic (BETAPHOTO/Nenad Petrovic)

On June 14, the Independent Teachers’ Union of Serbia called on members of Parliament to vote against the proposal to elect Socialist Party of Serbia official Slavica Djukic Dejanovic as the new minister of education.

The previous minister – Branko Ruzic – stepped down following the May 3 mass shooting in which a student of Belgrade’s Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School killed nine of his schoolmates and a security guard.

“Djukic Dejanovic’s nomination for minister of education shows that the current regime still maintains that ‘the system did not fail,’ i.e. that it intends to continue its policy of treating ministerial seats as party fiefdoms and installing in these highest state offices individuals who have first and foremost proven their obedience to the [ruling] leader and party,” the Union said in its press release.

The teachers claim that what the country’s education system urgently needs is a highly esteemed reformer with extensive knowledge of said system, not a “recycled” party nominee – referencing the fact that Djukic Dejanovic held three different ministerial seats in the past and served as Parliament speaker.

The Democratic Party also commented on Djukic Dejanovic’s nomination, claiming she is a poor choice for the position and that her election would only further erode Serbia’s education system.

“Slavica Djukic Dejanovic is indeed a University professor [with] significant life experience, but she has been retired for several years and has no experience working at either the primary or secondary school level. Therefore, she is not the right choice for minister of education and it is unrealistic to expect that she will resolve any of the problems the education system has amassed,” the Democratic Party said on June 14.

According to the Democrats, Djukic Dejanovic’s nomination is “a coerced solution” stemming from the fact that none of the younger-generation Socialists wanted to accept the position because of the possibility that the current government will not last much longer.

Djukic Dejanovic, the Democrats maintain, can certainly help the government with her significant experience, but not in the role of education minister.

“Such an experienced psychiatrist could help in preventing violence and aggression by professionally handling the causes of Serbia’s increased violence – which include many individuals currently in power as well as the owners of media houses close to the regime,” the Democratic Party concluded in its statement.