European Association for Music in Schools

Music in Schools (RS)

In Serbia, music classes exist in the elementary education, at the high school as well as in the gymnasium. In the elementary school, music classes are compulsory from the first until the last eight grade. From the first to the fifth grade there are two music classes per week. During the 6th , 7th  and 8th grade, there is only one class of music per week. Music class is named the Music culture. One music class lasts for 45 minutes. Besides compulsory music classes, there are elective music classes such as choir (45 minutes 3 times per week as a section, only for musically talented students) and orchestra (45 minutes for all students). The basic music activities introduced at music classes are: listening, performing (singing and playing), learning about Serbian and World’s music tradition, composers and music instruments, with briefly introduced music theory to serve music performance. There is an official National curriculum meaning plan and program for music classes for each grade. The last update of the National Curriculum for different grades has been done in 2013, but those changes were not directed toward music curriculum specifically, so basically nothing has significantly changed from this update. According to the official music curriculum, in the first two grades students learn to sing by ear and frequently listen to music of different genres. Music games present one of the main tools at this age level. In the third grade the music literacy begins. During the fourth grade the music literacy is now the responsibility of teachers and it understands learning to write and read notes, and the basics of music theory just begin. In the fifth and sixth grade students sing different songs by following the score and also continue to sing by ear. They listen to music of different genre, style and character frequently. In the seventh and eighth grade students begin to learn the history of music chronologically and continue to sing by ear and from the given score. During the all eighth grades of the elementary school, students learn to play on the given simple instruments of the Orff’s instrumentarium. During the first four grades of the elementary school, the general teacher – generalist is in charge of teaching music. Since the fifth grade starts, music is thought by music teachers – music specialist (from 5th to 8th grade and in gymnasium). The system of education is based on: 1. Soical care for children and preschool education, 2. Elementary education, 3. General and artistic high school education, 4. High school education, 5. General and master studies, 6. Doctoral studies, 8. Teachers’ education 9. Adults education. The basic aims of the education in the future, ending with the 2020, are: 1. Raising the quality of the educational process and results through the science and practice, 2. Expending the education – from preschool to the lifelong learning, 3. Gaining relevant education, by matching the educational system structure to developmental necessity of individuals, economics, social, cultural, research education, public, administrative and other systems, 4. Raising the efficacy of the use of all the educational resource, finishing education according to the given deadline with the minimal extension and dropout of education. For reaching the qualitative educational system, the following strategies are determined: 1. Quality of education from preschool to doctoral level, adults education and lifelong learning, 2. Quality of teaching process and strategies for teachers education – practical, pedagogical, psychological and methodical as well as the concern for their careers – job, licence, assessments, monitoring, improving, professionalism etc., 3. Accreditation and monitoring quality of educational institutions and programs in continuity, objectively and transparently, 4) Raising financial support for education.

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