Bujanovac – Personal assistants for preschoolers and students in the Inclusive Education Program (IEP) in Bujanovac's primary and secondary schools will start operating on October 15, after the local self-government provided 2 million dinars for their engagement.

“By rebalancing the municipal budget, funds for hiring 30 personal assistants by the end of the calendar year were earmarked, "said Driton Redzepi, the Head of the Municipal Public Services Department.  

Although the assignment of assistants trained to work with children in need of special attention is still in the drafting stage, Mr. Redzepi said that the request of the Branko Radicevic elementary school in Bujanovac might be fully met or that as many assistants as the school had asked for would be assigned to it.   

“I think the number of assistants has increased there, compared to the September request, when 7 assistants were requested. We will do our best to fully satisfy the needs of the school, " Mr. Redzepi said.

This has not been the case so far, as according to the information from the school, it was an earlier practice to hire a maximum of 2 to 3 assistants despite the realistic needs.

There will also be changes in secondary schools, which, unlike one assistant in the last school year, now require four – Saint Sava School three and Sezai Suroi one.

Mr. Redzepi said that the municipality would try to provide funds for that purpose in the budget for the following year, so that the contracts would, most likely, be extended and children would receive the appropriate teaching assistance by the end of the school year. 

Source: Bujanovac News and Coordination Body