Inclusive Education Aleksinac

Dobar dan, dragi učenici i teachers

Your excellency Minister Đukić Dejanović, Ambassador Giaufret, Mayor Radičević, Ms Tončić, ladies and gentlemen,

I'm happy to be here today and celebrate the inclusive education with you. The progress achieved so far in this school clearly shows that inclusion is possible! Congratulations to all of you for the wonderful first steps made, and I hope your enthusiasm will inspire schools across Serbia to follow you and to ensure that all children who need support in learning feel included.

Today, together we convey a strong message: Education is a fundamental right for every child, no matter where he/she lives and what family comes from. Education serves as a common ground that brings us all together – children, parents, teachers, politicians, and everyone else in our community.

Parents aspire to see their children well-educated and reaching their full potential. Children seek opportunities for their professional development. Teachers want to witness their students' achievements. And leaders in the current demographic situation aim to equip every single child with the necessary skills to join the labour market, and provide them with a decent and productive live.

The education system in Serbia has been making significant strides on its inclusive education journey. I extend my appreciation to the Ministry of Education, the municipality of Aleksinac, and our long-standing partner, the EU Delegation in Serbia, for their unwavering support in this regard.

We jointly work to ensure that every child feels welcomed and valued in their school. Because Inclusive education is only possible when every child feels a sense of belonging within their school community. Schools can truly thrive only when everyone feels like they're part of a unified team.

In Serbian, the alphabet – azbuka - consists of 30 letters. Each letter plays a crucial role because only together they can form words, sentences, and tell a story. Similarly, every child in the classroom is incredibly important, as everyone is a society member and telling the story could not be possible without them. 

So, my message today - to all the students, teachers, the Minister of Education, and Ambassador Giaufret is: We are all on a journey of learning, and we can all share with each other,something valuable that along the way. We have made important steps, and we should continue together to ensure that every single child in every school across Serbia is included and learns together with his/her alongside their peers.

Let’s celebrate the achievements so far and prepare for the next step!

Please give a round of applause to inclusive education – the way forward to a just and rich society.

Hvala vam!