Opposition Party: Education Act Amendments Are Regime’s Attempt to Institute Persecution Mechanism

Classroom (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

On Aug. 25, the oppositional Democratic Party warned that the proposed amendments to the Education System Foundations Act represent an attempt by President Aleksandar Vucic’s regime to limit the free association of students and institute a legal mechanism for the political persecution of all those in the education system who think freely and critically.

“Particularly targeted are the students, parents and education system employees who have supported the [anti-regime] university student movement and fight for accountability, justice and a free society over the past two years,” the Democratic Party stated.

Led by Srdjan Milivojevic, the Democrats called on the Party of European Socialists, European Parliament caucuses, the Council of Europe and all other international actors to give their full support to the fight to protect the rights of children, students, parents and education system employees.

“A quality education is not possible without freedom of association for students, parent participation in decisions significant to the children’s education and education employees being treated with dignity. Schools must not become places of political control and retribution but instead must remain spaces of knowledge, freedom and critical thought,” the Democratic Party said.

Education unions have already pointed out that the proposed amendments to the law remove students’ right to freely associate outside of school parliaments, reduce parent councils and leave notably vague the process of electing class representatives.