The need for a more modern and higher-quality approach to civic education and human rights within education system in Montenegro lies at the core of the new project Improving Education for Civic and Human Rights: Educational Reforms for a Stronger Democracy, implemented by the Centre for Civic Education (CCE) with the support of UNICEF, in partnership with Human Rights Action (HRA) and the Centre for Women’s and Peace Education ANIMA from Kotor.
“This project builds on years of efforts by the CCE, as well as our partner organisations – HRA and ANIMA – to ensure that civic education once again becomes a mandatory subject in schools, enabling primary and secondary school students to acquire essential knowledge about freedom, the rule of law and justice, equality, solidarity, and respect for diversity. Human rights education would foster the promotion of diversity and reduce social distance among ethnic groups, which remains a challenge facing Montenegrin society today,” stated Sara Čabarkapa, Programme Coordinator for Active Citizenship at the CCE.
The project focuses on extensive consultations with primary and secondary school students, teaching staff, parents, education policy-makers, as well as civil society organisations engaged in non-formal education. The aim is to contribute to systemic changes by collecting the experiences and insights of key stakeholders regarding the status and impact of civic education, which will be formulated into recommendations for improving its effectiveness, influence and institutional positioning of civic education.
The objective of the project is to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the importance of civic education and human rights among students, parents, teachers, and decision-makers, thereby strengthening cooperation between institutions, schools, civil society, and international organisations, and fostering dialogue on public policies in this field through the creation of opportunities for open and meaningful discussions.
“In this way, decision-makers will receive recommendations on how to strengthen the role of civic and human rights education in teaching, as well as suggestions for improving the ways these topics are delivered within modern formal education, which is also recognised as important in the Education Reform Strategy 2025-2035,” Čabarkapa emphasised.
Tijana Vukčević, Programme Assistant