Schools will still wait for new psychologists

Due to several cases of peer violence, Ministry of Education announced changes to the regulations at the beginning of May, so that schools would receive reinforcements in psychological and pedagogical services, but to this day that process has not been completed.

Which schools need an additional psychologist or pedagogue, whether there are such staff on the labor market at all, is still subject to the budget of the education department.

"The procedure for granting the consent of the Ministry of Education to the amended regulations on the systematization of workplaces in educational institutions is underway. We will have an overview of the increase in the number of executors in the workplace of psychologists in the coming period," the Ministry of Education, headed by Miomir Vojinović.

The school year starts today for students in 163 primary and 53 secondary schools.

Research by the non-governmental organization "Juventas" showed that in Montenegro, every fifth high school student was a victim of peer violence, and more than half witnessed such behavior by their peers.

The results of that research also showed that more than half of high school students do not feel safe at school.

There are twice as many psychologists in schools than pedagogues

In their answers, the Ministry of Education also states that, according to data from the Montenegrin Education Information System (MEIS), over 200 professionals are currently employed. There are twice as many pedagogues as psychologists.

"According to the data from MEIS, with the note that some pedagogues are engaged within the norm in several schools, we have around 150 engaged pedagogues and around 70 psychologists," said the Ministry of Education.

They explain that the rulebook on norms and standards for acquiring funds from public revenues for institutions that implement publicly valid education mandates that an institution with more than 300 students has the right to one psychologist or pedagogue.

"An educational institution with more than 700 students is entitled to one pedagogue and one psychologist. An institution that has more than 1.400 students, i.e. children, has the right to three executors in the workplace of pedagogues and psychologists", said the Ministry, without specifically answering the question of whether they have information on how many institutions have completed the psychological-pedagogical service in accordance with current norms.

New profession - assistant in the prevention of violence

Montenegrin schools could soon get an assistant for the prevention of violence, whose task would be, according to the education department, to record and prevent patterns of behavior that have elements of violence.

"The assistant controls and protects school property from various forms of vandalism. It implements measures for protection and rescue from fire and other emergency events, as well as measures for the protection and health of students and employees at the school," said the department.

The education program for obtaining the qualification of assistant, they explain, was prepared by a working group formed by the Center for Vocational Education.

"The working group included representatives of: Ministry of Education, Faculty of Philosophy - University of Montenegro, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Police Administration, Grammar School 'Slobodan Škerović', School for Secondary and Higher Vocational Education 'Sergije Stanić' from Podgorica, Vocational High School from Nikšić, the Secondary Electrical Technical School 'Vaso Aligrudić' from Podgorica and the Center for Vocational Education who coordinated the work of the working group", said the department.

Training for this profession lasts 242 hours, and will be conducted by the Podgorica "Slobodan Škerović" Gymnasium and the Police Academy in Danilovgrad.

According to the Ministry, the candidate must meet certain requirements:

"The conditions for enrollment, i.e. inclusion in the program, are an acquired qualification of education level IV1, passing the 'B' category driver's exam, a certificate of Montenegrin citizenship, proof of mental and physical fitness, proof that the candidate has not been legally sentenced to prison for the criminal offense of who is prosecuted ex officio, i.e. that no criminal proceedings have been initiated against him for such a criminal offense, proof that the candidate has not been punished for a misdemeanor with elements of violence for which a prison sentence is prescribed, i.e. no proceedings have been initiated for such misdemeanors, and that he has not a protective measure banning the performance of activities was pronounced".

The training is paid for by the participant, and later by the state

According to Vojinović's department, training for an assistant is paid for by the participant, and the certificate is "issued by an educational institution that has a license to work in adult education for the implementation of the program in which the participant completed the training."

According to the Ministry, the price of the training is determined by the organizers: "Slobodan Škerović" Gymnasium in Podgorica and the Police Academy.

"The salary for employees in this workplace is provided by the Ministry of Education from the budget," the Ministry explains.

A school with more than 700 students is entitled to one violence prevention assistant

The Ministry of Education does not yet have data on how many assistants could be employed after completing the training.

"The decision on the number of assistants in schools will be made in accordance with the Rulebook on norms and standards for acquiring funds from public revenues for institutions that implement publicly valid educational programs. According to the Rulebook, 'an institution with more than 700 students can be approved for one enforcer in the position of assistant in the prevention of violence and vandalism in accordance with the needs of the institution,'" explained the department.