Although Prime Minister Miloš Vučević threatened to fire teachers, the teachers explain that there will be no one to replace them
If all educators in Serbia remain "disobedient" and do not return to school in the second semester, the state will have to find a replacement - for at least 150.000 the teacher.
Because there are so many of them in Serbia, according to the Union of Trade Unions of Educational Workers of Serbia.
The biggest problem, Milorad Antić, president of the Forum of Secondary Vocational Schools of Serbia, explains to "Vreme", will be finding lecturers for vocational subjects.
"It's simple, we will be left without secondary vocational schools," says Antic.
"We already don't have electrical and mechanical engineers to teach, and what would happen if we fired even this handful - I can't even think."
It is almost impossible, he adds, to find a craftsman who would impart practical knowledge to children, let alone a university-educated engineer.
"An engineer's salary in the private sector is no problem 200.000 dinars, who would agree to go back to school for twice or three times less," says Antić.
The state is already fighting to keep some teaching staff in schools, while year after year interest in the professions of mathematics, physics, Serbian and chemistry teachers is almost disappearing.
Perhaps Prime Minister Miloš Vučević himself read these figures, after he threatened to fire teachers who do not return to the teaching desk, and yet called for a meeting with the education unions for Thursday (January 9).
"I think we have enough time to define all topics in the right way by the beginning of the second semester," said Vucevic.
Are there substitutes and why not?
Even without a strike, teachers do not respond well to work on substitutes in schools, and one of the reasons is that there are no more educational staff for certain professions.
Interest in the professions of teachers of mathematics, physics, Serbian and chemistry, from year to year - almost disappears.
Thus, last year, only one candidate applied for the course that trains chemistry teachers, and graduates show little interest in physics, the Serbian language, mathematics, as well as the Faculty of Mining and Technology.
At the Faculty of Chemistry for the course that educates chemistry teachers - only one candidate applied.
Society's attitude towards the teaching profession has changed significantly in recent decades, so this profession has largely "returned to itself", Mika Kučerović, a retired teacher, told Vreme.
"There used to be respect for this profession, we were honored to educate children," explains Kučerović.
"Today, the profession is reduced to a beggar's pole, mostly materially, and then in other ways."
Education, she says, is "burdened with procedures, and the least is transfer of knowledge."
"Everyone interferes in your work, first of all parents, but also the social community and in the wrong way," thinks the teacher who taught at the First Belgrade High School.
"Everyone remembers with nostalgia the time when what the teacher said mattered."
That's why educators, Kučerović thinks, are "completely outraged".
"I think that, for all these reasons, people will not go back to work so easily."
What if everyone gets fired
"Bluff and demonstration of force" - this is how Katarina Šćepanović Ostojić, an English teacher at the Philological High School in Belgrade, sees Prime Minister Vučević's threat.
"Even if they all fire us - who will work then is my question," says Šćepanović Ostojić for "Vreme".
Prime Minister Vučević's invitation to the trade unions to respond to the meeting on January 9 is seen by the Philological High School teacher as proof that "the government has realized that educators are serious."
"So much for how easily we will be replaced."
However, she thinks that "there is no need to negotiate with the government."
"From what I heard in the conversation with numerous trade unions of educational workers, it is up to the state to fulfill our demands," adds Šćepanović Ostojić.
"So the conversation is unnecessary."
Katarina Šćepanović Ostojić is also a member of the Forum of Belgrade High Schools, which has around 500 members.
However, the Union of Education Unions responded to the invitation of "Vremena" that "negotiations are scheduled in the Government" and that "they will not make statements until then".
This trade union has around 28.000 members throughout Serbia.
And now a lot of non-professionals
There are still around 1.000 non-professional teachers working in Serbia, who do not have adequate education prescribed by regulations, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Education.
According to these data, there were 457 non-professional mathematics teachers, 239 physics teachers, 109 informatics teachers, 133 German language teachers and 48 English language teachers in the classrooms.
"In smaller towns in Serbia, you have teachers who only graduated from high school and teach children serious and important subjects," says Milorad Antić from the Forum of Secondary Vocational Schools of Serbia.
"Perhaps you will find some teachers in Kragujevac or Niš to work in vocational schools, because some people prefer to be in these cities after graduating from university," says Antić.
"In Belgrade - there's no way you'll find them."
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