Serbian high school students protest education law changes

As Serbia prepares to start a new school year, high school students in Niš are taking to the streets to protest significant changes to the education law. The students, particularly seniors, view the amendments to the Law on the Foundations of the Education System as unconstitutional and a threat to their freedoms.

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If we allow this, it will have an impact forever.

"If we allow this, it will have an impact forever," stated Janja Radović, a final-year student at Gimnazija Svetozar Marković. She believes the law aims to stifle any democratic activity outside the strict control of the system, particularly by removing students' legal right to organize outside of school parliaments.

Teachers are also concerned, facing the possibility of losing their licenses for reasons previously reserved for severe criminal offenses. Jelica Stošić from Gimnazija Stevan Sremac described the proposed changes as "repressive control mechanisms" targeting students, teachers, and parents – the three main actors in education. The role of parents and school boards is also seen as diminished.

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These announced changes to the law are nothing more than repressive control mechanisms.

The students are determined to make their voices heard, announcing their intention to participate in a protest. "We want to show them that this will not succeed and that we do not want to allow it," Radović added, emphasizing their resolve against the proposed legislation.

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We want to show them that this will not succeed and that we do not want to allow it.