What awaits elementary and high school students from September?

Fewer students in classrooms, slightly shorter vacations, stricter dress codes and the ban on the use of mobile phones in the institutions, more expensive excursions, new measures in fighting against all forms of violence, as well as the announced preparations for the establishment of a large or state graduation, are, as Blic reports, one of the main news that awaits us in the new school year, both for elementary and high school students.

The biggest change relates to the number of students in classes, which will be reduced in both primary and secondary schools. This amendment to the law was passed last year, but it is only now coming into force.

According to the previous regulations, elementary school classes could have up to 30 students, but it was foreseen that with the consent of the Ministry of Education, it could be increased to 33.

From September 1, this number will be reduced, so the legal limit will be 28 students, which can, with the permission of the ministry, be increased to a maximum of 31 students.

The number of students will also be reduced in secondary schools, where one class will be able to have a maximum of 28 students, which was also reflected in the low graduation rate this summer, so elementary school graduates needed slightly more points to enroll in their desired schools than was the case before.

Pupils in Serbia will also have four holidays in the upcoming school year, but two will be a day shorter due to different overlaps with weekends.

The spring vacation is the most different - last year it lasted 10 connected days, and now it will be in two parts - the first of six, and the second of four days, because Easter and May Day are not "linked".

Junior graduation is on the program from June 16 to 18, 2025.

Since this year, the Ministry of Education has expanded the categories of primary school students who exercise the right to free textbooks, so now they also have students who suffer from rare diseases, who have the right to someone else's care and help, students from families where there is only one parental care bearer, students from socially/materially disadvantaged families, with developmental disabilities and disabilities, with exceptional abilities, students from families with three or more children in the education system...

However, the students in Belgrade and their parents can be the most satisfied. Last year, they received a free kit, and this time the City will instead pay them 20,000 dinars each.

Moms and dads will have the opportunity to choose whether they want to use that money to buy new sets or possibly buy used but well-preserved books.

In some cities, first-year students receive free textbooks.

New measures in the fight against violence in schools were adopted before the beginning of last year, they came into force in the second half of the year, but this will be the first complete school year in which they will be applied.

The most interesting and loudest innovation was the punishment of suspending students for a period of 5 to 20 days, during which they would not be able to attend classes at school.

Although this model has been operating in the USA for almost half a century, as well as in many other countries, the question arose as to how it will be applied in Serbia.

Also, this will be the first school year where, already in the first semester, the grade in the subject will be included in the average, although the students will be able to pass with the lowest grade.

Attacks on employees in education will be punished by imprisonment from three months to eight years, depending on the gravity of the crime, it is planned by amendments to the Criminal Code.

These penalties threaten students over the age of 14, as well as their parents. The changes would apply practically only to secondary schools, but a public hearing is still expected, so it is not realistic that they will be adopted before the end of this year or the beginning of next year. 

Similar to when it comes to dress code, the schools themselves have the final say on banning the carrying and use of mobile phones.

The Ministry of Education previously announced that the Law on the Basics of the Education and Training System is clear on the issue of improper use of mobile phones and that "the use of mobile phones is considered a serious violation for which the reprimand of the principal and the reprimand of the teaching council are threatened."

However, it is up to the schools to decide whether and how to ban them completely.

However, it is noticeable that more and more educational institutions decide to take this step, either by completely banning them from being brought to school, or by putting them in a special place before the start of class, and later returning them to the students.

According to the calendar, in the next school year, a general rehearsal of the state matriculation exam for third-grade high school students is planned (on June 2, and only the math test), who, if there is no further postponement, could be the first to take it in June 2026.

Nevertheless, the state matriculation exam is still in the dark, considering that many faculties do not agree to it being a substitute for entrance exams and want to continue to choose future academics themselves.

Excursions are also expected to increase in price. Due to the high prices, as well as the announced price increase of at least ten percent, the stories about their abolition also began to spread.

The agencies that deal with student tourism say that the purchases have already been completed and that student trips in the fall will be up to 10 percent more expensive compared to the previous school year.

This year too, at the beginning of the school year, in the first lesson in all classes, the Serbian anthem "God's Justice" will be sung.

If an educational institution does not perform the national anthem, it faces a fine of 100,000 to 1 million dinars.

In addition, the school principal, that is, the responsible person, can be fined in the amount of 25,000 dinars to 100,000 dinars. This practice is applied from 2021.

School calendar

September 2: Beginning of the school year

November 9-12: Mini autumn vacation

December 27: End of the first semester

December 28 - January 19: Winter vacation

January 20: Beginning of the second semester

February 17: Non-working, National Day

March 21-22: Small graduation rehearsal

April 16-21: Mini spring break

May 1-4: May Day holidays

May 23: End of the year for the 4th grade of high school

May 30: End of the year for eighth graders

June 2: Rehearsal for the big graduation

June 13: End of the year for all other elementary students

June 16-18: Small graduation exam

June 20: End of the year for other high school students

June 28: Distribution of student booklets