LocationsGirls and Boys Acquiring Knowledge and Skills for Future Jobs and Society
Visit to the Summer School of Programming in Sremska Mitrovica
August 2, 2024
Photo: Ministry of Educationa and UNDP
Sremska Mitrovica, 2 August 2024 – Minister of Education in the Government of the Republic of Serbia prof. Dr Slavica Đukić Dejanović, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Serbia Yakup Beris and Director of AI in the Petlja Foundation Nebojša Vasiljević, visited the students who have been attending the Summer School of Programming in Sremska Mitrovica.
The Summer School of Programming has been held for three years in a row and it gathers talented and motivated students of primary school senior grades – fifth to eighth – who show additional interest in programming and information technologies.
After visiting some classes and talking with the students, Minister of Education prof. Dr Slavica Đukić Dejanović said that it was very important that the students got this opportunity to improve their knowledge in the fields of programming and IT. “The Ministry of Education has worked on improving the digital competences of students from the earliest age, as well as securing high quality conditions for working and learning. From the first grade of primary school students get the subject titled Digital World, where they develop the algorithmic way of thinking and learn how to use information technologies safely and functionally, while Information Technology and Computer Science is an obligatory subject for students from 5th to 8th grade. We are grateful to our partners in this important joint project, UNDP and the Petlja Foundation, as they recognised the needs of our pupils and importance of their training,” said Minister Đukić Dejanović.
The Summer School of Programming which is organised for two groups of attendees, was applied for this year by more than 300 girls and boys from 70 municipalities, which has been the greatest number thus far. Also, from year to year, one may note an increase in the interest among girls.
Foto: Ministrstvo prosvete i UNDP
UNDP Resident Representative Yakup Beris highlighted that it was very important for all girls and boys to have equal access to high quality education, regardless of their future choice of profession. “The skills of programming are highly important as a preparation for the jobs of tomorrow, regardless of one’s choice of profession. Therefore, together with our partners from the Ministry of Education and Petlja Foundation, we have prepared free learning materials and we organise programming schools, summer and winter camps for children, where they can acquire new knowledge and skills. I am glad that the interest in these schools has increased, especially among girls. UNDP will continue to support all programmes that have improvement of digital skills as their aim, especially for young generations,” said Beris.
“We have the great pleasure of organising the Summer School of Programming for primary school students for three years now. Not only that such schools support motivated students to learn programming, but they are also wonderful opportunities for making new acquaintances and socialising. During the three years of organising this school, our team has been adjusting the curriculum to students’ interests, while the teaching methodology has been improved based on the experiences by teachers and expert associates – psychologists. Our students and their parents have positively evaluated of our teachers and instructors, the serious approach to learning, time for relaxation activities such as quizzes, sport tournaments and excursions, communication with the organisers and the children’s motivation for further work after returning from the Summer School. We thank the Grammar School in Sremska Mitrovica for being our host for the second time, to the High School Students’ Residence Hall in Sremska Mitrovica for the lovely cooperation, as well as to the United Nations Development Programme and Ministry of Education for their support in realising the activities,” said Nebojša Vasiljević, Director of AI in the Petlja Foundation.
Foto: Ministarstvo prosvete i UNDP
During the one-week programme, the Summer School’s attendees get the opportunity to expand their programming knowledge and be acquainted with and talk to professionals from the IT industry. Additionally, they get to enjoy leisure activities such as excursions, sport and games. Also, the National Contact Centre for Children’s Safety on the Internet helped the students learn more about the risks and challenges in the digital world.
The Summer School of Programming is realised by the United Nations Development Programme and the Petlja Foundation, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and with the support by the Government of Serbia, within the project titled “Building the critical computer skills for the future ready workforce”.
Foto: Ministarstvo Prosvete i UNDP
