5 Reasons Why Every Child in Serbia Should Have Access to Preschool Education

by NDFAuthors

  • Dec 08, 2020

For more than a decade, preschool education in Serbia has been recognized as an important factor necessary not only for the early development of children but also for solving the problem of poverty and exclusion from society. However, a large number of children are still not covered by preschool education. Did you know that only every other child in Serbia has access to quality early education?

Unfortunately, the majority of preschools in Serbia are in  very bad infrastructural condition. They haven’t been renovated and adapted to children’s needs in a long time, and because of the bad financial situation in certain preschools, parents took it upon themselves to equip them.  On the other hand, municipalities face various  difficulties  that disable them from investing in early childhood programs, leaving many villages in Serbia without any preschools. That is an additional motivation for families to move to the cities or abroad in search of better living conditions for their children.

Because of that, there is simply not enough place in preschools for every child in Serbia. A lot of our children miss the chance to play, learn and grow with their peers every day.

Preschool education in Serbia has been recognized as an important factor necessary not only for the early development of children but also for solving the problem of poverty and exclusion from society. However, many children still do not have access to preschools.

Preschool education in Serbia has been recognized as an important factor necessary not only for the early development of children but also for solving the problem of poverty and exclusion from society. However, many children still do not have access to preschools.

Here are 5 fundamental reasons why it is important for every child in Serbia to have access to preschool education:

1. Enthusiasm for life-long learning

Preschool education can improve children’s chances for success in later life.  Investing in early interventions timed to take advantage of the crucial phases of brain development is necessary for all children. According to  research,  students who had learned much more in  the early years  were more likely to go to college than students with otherwise similar backgrounds. Students who learned more were also less likely to become single parents. As adults, they were more likely to be saving for retirement. Perhaps most striking, they  were earning  more.

2. Development of a child’s social and emotional skills

At that age, children slowly begin to understand what they are feeling, but they aren’t able to manage their emotions. Preschools provide children with the right stimulating environment where they can develop their social and emotional skills. They slowly shift from “parallel play” to  playing together with their peers.  They are motivated to learn how to  cooperate, solve problems and share.  Teachers teach them  how to deal with conflict  while also managing their emotions and controlling their  impulses.

3. Preschools promote language and cognitive skills

Building a strong vocabulary in early childhood is a critical foundation for learning.  At age 3, pre-schoolers typically know about 300 words.  That expands to 1,500 words by age 4, and 2,500 words by age 5. In preschools, children have many opportunities where they can be introduced to new vocabulary: during play and snack time, by learning new songs, by listening to teachers read  their  favorite stories, etc. Teachers try to make feel children feel comfortable in conversation by provoking them with interesting questions, thus helping them stretch their language  skills.  

4. Preschool teachers nurture a child’s curiosity

While attachments to their parents are primary, young children can also benefit significantly from relationships with their preschool teachers.  Teachers observe, ask questions and listen to children’s ideas. Then they create activities based on their interests which further boost their curiosity and  imagination.

5. Early education boosts a child’s motor skills

Preschools provide several opportunities daily for children to  run, climb, and play  active games. Activities are offered to help children develop  fine motor skills, such as threading beads or cutting with scissors. Children are also challenged through a variety of activities to build their  hand-eye coordination and  balance.

We are asking you to wake-up your team spirit and the heart of a champion you have inside! Join us on our mission to provide access to preschool education to every child in Serbia. Team Vajska or Team Ljubis – who will first open a new preschool? Choose your team right here and help us open more than 100 new preschool places for children in Serbia. Our founders, Novak and Jelena Djokovic, will match all of your donations!