Is March 17 really "D-Day" or a day to scare students?

President of the Assembly of Serbia Ana Brnabic she stated that the situation in schools in Serbia is significantly better and that only in 22 elementary schools out of a total of 1.254 classes are in complete suspension and pointed out that basic education is mandatory and that the total suspension of classes violates the law and the Constitution.

"The situation with schools is significantly better today, a much smaller number of schools are in total suspension, especially elementary schools, which is great news for our country," said Brnabić in "Uranka" on TV K1.

She stated that those who did not work will not get paid for February in education, but that when they start making up for teaching, they will be paid for what they are making up for.

Brnabić said that the state showed enormous tolerance and flexibility in order to calm the situation and prevent further radicalization.

She also pointed out that March 17 "Day D" when it comes to the possibility that this academic year will not be lost and asked what will happen if the school year at the blocked faculties does not continue then.

Brnabić said that this date was arrived at on the basis of the school calendar, that is, data on how long the semester lasts, how many working days there are, how many exam deadlines there are, and the fact that October 1 the next academic year must start.

"And all faculties know that." With the fact that at some faculties, such as the Faculty of Medicine or the Faculty of Technical Sciences, it is much more difficult because there you can't just theoretically condense and reduce the teaching, because there are also exercises, you have to go, have, do practice, be in hospitals, be with patients. "All this under the condition that it is done all summer, and on full weekends, which we will agree is not realistic," said Brnabić.

Pavicevic: "There is no D-Day.”

Professor of the Faculty of Political Sciences Đorđe Pavićević believes that the story of the famous D-Day for the students of the Faculty of Blockade is just another in a series of attempts to intimidate and suppress the student rebellion.

"There is no D-Day. No one can accurately and precisely calculate such a thing. Each faculty must calculate for itself when to resume regular lectures. It can also happen that a decision is made to extend the school year", says Pavićević for "Vreme".

It was not by chance that the President of the Assembly chose her March 17 as the date when everything changes in the life of academics. The students in the blockade announced another big protest, which would take place March 15 in Belgrade.

"She mentions that date because it is right after the protest, and with that she wants to put pressure on the students and on all those who are advocating for the blockades, to end everything. The rising tension is currently in the hands of the authorities. They justify that they want to save the school year, in which the students prevent them. This is a political move, not an academic one," he says.

If there really was some concern and tension in the ranks of the authorities regarding students and their well-being, says Pavićević, a student who has been studying for 10 years would not be the winner of the Svetosava award.

With this, Pavićević alludes to FPN student Margareta Smiljanić, president of SKONUS (Student Conference of Universities of Serbia). That organization is the highest official representative body of students, which did not support the blockade. Otherwise, SKONUS was often brought into direct contact with the non-governmental organization Center for Education and Development of Youth in Belgrade (CEROB), whose headquarters served as a place where money was paid for work in the call center of the Serbian Progressive Party in December 2023.

In December, Smiljanić was part of a delegation of students who met with Prime Minister Miloš Vučević to discuss the continuation of the school year in the conditions of the blockade.

"According to that twisted logic, extended studies favor the careers of young people," says Pavićević.

What are the faculty's plans?

Pavićević explains that the plan exists and that the academic year can be extended.

"We have an empty space over the summer that can be used to make up for classes." Of course, something cannot be compensated for, but students are ready to make sacrifices and spend their time at the blockades".

As for the formal requirements to end the school year, there are several ways to fulfill them.

The professors of the University in Belgrade, as well as in other university cities, are in the majority with the students. They appeared in the media more than once and talked about how the faculties are looking for ways to make up for the missed material at some point, while maintaining that the fulfillment of student demands is currently a priority.

How many schools are on lockdown?

In her address, Brnabić also referred to schools, and added that in all of Serbia, only 22 elementary schools have suspended classes. Data from the Informal Association "United Education of Serbia" say otherwise.

Aleksandar Vinić from the Association of Serbian Schools told FoNet that more and more teachers and schools are joining the protest of educators and that, according to data from last week, about 500 schools were suspended, and 400 had their classes shortened to 30 minutes.

According to his words, if we look at the number of employees, about 15.500 educational workers are on suspension, and 9.000 teachers work with reduced hours.

"Between 70 and 80 percent of schools are not working normally." We expect that number to be even higher and certainly during this week that number will grow even more," said Vinić.

He added that the protest is spreading to Prijepolje, Priboj, Novi Pazar and the south of Serbia.