Instant reforms: Profession and parents in panic, first-graders are Kazazović's guinea pigs!

First-graders in the Sarajevo Canton will start attending English, IT, and a third physical education class in schools from September.

Thus, instead of the current six, students will have eight subjects and a ninth elective subject: religious education, culture of religion, or society. The contents of these subjects, as stated by Minister Elvir Kazazović, will be fully aligned with the age of six-year-olds. The introduction of new teaching subjects, he emphasizes, is in line with modern educational requirements and is a sure contribution to better student education.

However, the curriculum for these subjects is hardly even finished, and no one has yet presented analyses by experts who have determined that six-year-olds are ready for these burdens.

Nihada Čolić, advisor to the minister for preschool, primary, and secondary education, confirmed that the subjects IT and Physical and Health Education will be taught by primary school teachers, who have always been quality bearers of all reforms, and there will be no new hirings, while English language content will be taught by English teachers.

She claims that Physical and Health Education is a subject in which students show exceptional results and love, and it will certainly contribute to their proper growth and development.

- It is important to note that there has been a reduction in the content of other subjects and that these subjects will certainly not affect the overall burden on students - claims Čolić.

Most experts, teachers, and teaching staff believe that things are being introduced hastily for which teachers, students, and the environment need to be prepared first.

The changes are not scientifically based, nor have the prerequisites for implementing these classes been created. If a third physical education class is introduced, every school will have to have an additional gym.

- Teachers are not competent to teach IT classes. Why then do people complete university degrees to be able to teach that subject - school principals ask.

The Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Education has never responded to Patria's inquiry to clarify how it is possible to devalue the profession of IT professor, since the same subject will be taught to our children by primary school teachers.

The 2016/2017 school year begins on Thursday, September 1. Around 36,000 students will attend primary schools, and around 16,000 will attend secondary schools.