Ballet dancers promote preschool education in the north region of Montenegro

ROZAJE/BIJELO POLJE, 15 June 2015 – Rozaje and Bijelo Polje once again hosted artistic and educational events in order to stimulate parents’ and children’s interest for enrollment in preschools and to promote preschools as the best educational environment for children aged 3 to 6.

The performance of ballet dancers of the “Vasa Pavić" Art School made by professor Viktorija Strugar, surprised children in the north of the country.

Viktorija thinks that the campaign is a big success. "According to the children’s reaction, where you could see how joyful they were and how interactively they participated in our program, I guess this campaign was successful. Our goal is to encourage children to enroll in preschool, to show them how important it is. We performed our program in two parts. In the first one, we demonstrated classic dance and technical precision, while in the other we intentionally wanted to get closer to the children through a short overview of fairytales which are well-known to all of us, and that caused quite a good reaction of children."

"We enjoyed playing for these children, and I think they, as well as adults, got the message on how important it is for children of that age to go to preschool and learn some of essential things. First and foremost, they learn about society, communication and friendship," said Jana Kilibarda, a ballet dancer.

Her colleague dancer, Masa Vusanovic, points out that this was a great experience for all of them. “We have not participated in similar campaigns in the past, and we are very satisfied."

Andrea Sinistaj, another ballet dancer from the "Vasa Pavic" Art School, enjoys to perform for the audience, but especially for the kids. “When we see their smiles, how happy they are, and how they enjoy all of this. They know these fairytales, which are quite popular. We tried the best we could to tell a story, and I think they understood what it was about."

After the dance with they favorite fairytale characters, children in Bijelo Polje and Rozaje played in the outdoor preschool organized by the NGO “Pedagogical Centre” and the Faculty for Preschool Education.

"I like Peter Pan the most, because I love the story of Peter Pan, and I have that book at home. There is a pirate, who attacks Peter Pan, and there is Tinker Bell who always defeats the pirate, and she throws him into the sea. And when she threw him into the sea, crocodiles bite him. I learned this tale in the preschool."

"I like Aladdin and the magic lamp the most. I also liked the princesses."

"I recognized Peter Pan, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The queen wanted to kill Snow White because she wanted to be more beautiful than her. Then a hunter told her to run away to the forest. She ran away with animals. In the forest, there was a house where the seven dwarfs lived. In the end, she got married to the prince. I learned this tale in the preschool."

"One day, Little Red Riding Hood went to her granny to take her some cookies. And then, a wolf came. She was hiding and the wolf scared her. I learned this in the preschool."

"I enjoyed Snow White the most. She had a gorgeous dress."

The latest data show that preschool enrolment rates in Montenegro are the lowest in the northern region, where the existing preschool facilities could take in more children. For this reason, UNICEF has launched the “Preschool for All” campaign in Bijelo Polje, Berane, Rozaje, Plav, and Andrijevica, in order to stimulate parents’ and children’s interest for preschools.

Milanka Rakocevic, a preschool teacher from Bijelo Polje, is very satisfied with the campaign. "We have not had anything better in our town, and in the entire north of the country for a long time. Regardless of their age, all children from one to six should attend preschool. I think it is not expensive."

Another preschool teacher from Bijelo Polje, Marina Knezevic, thinks that the campaign is extremely important. "I think that this campaign can have an influence on the increase in number of children enrolled in the preschool, and also on their regular attendance, since preschool is so important for all children. If children cannot attend preschool from their second year of age and the nursery, it is very important to attend preschool for a few hours per day at least one year before going to school. That affects not only the development of personality and habits, but also completely prepare children for school,“ Knezevic stressed out.

The strategic goal of the Montenegrin educational system is the inclusion of all children aged 3 to 6 in some form of preschool programs by 2020. Apart from increasing the preschool attendance in future, Montenegro’s goal is also to improve the quality of preschool education since scientific studies worldwide show that quality preschool education leads to better educational achievements, adequate child development as well as reduction of the unemployment rate.