From obsolete to contemporary preschool education (experiences in Serbia)

AbstractThe aim of the article is to contribute to research on the history of early childhood education in Serbia and to advance understanding of neoliberal influences in this region. The article covers the key events that have changed educational practices in Serbia over a period of 150 years. This article offers an overview of the history of preschool education in Serbia and an analysis of the processes of democratization and of the change in the system of preschool education in Serbia that occurred in phases at the turn of this century. The article emphasizes that the qualitative base for the ongoing reform was the good legacy of the previous system, including the existence of the concept and practice of integrated care for children, planned introduction of models for curriculum development and the tradition of exchanging information and organizing professional gatherings of staff. The article identifies possibilities for further development of the quality of preschool education based on a new concept ...