Child Rights in Primary Schools – The Situation and Expectations
Keywords:
child rights, The Convention on the Rights of the Child, participation, discrimination, education system of Serbia, elementary education
Abstract
School is the most suitable place for students to learn about child rights and where these rights are to be respected. In the research we have conducted, the objective was to examine the knowledge of primary school
students about the rights of the child and to obtain insight into how these rights are respected. Using an interview scaling technique, we questioned 351 final year primary school students and 231 teachers. The students did not rate their knowledge of child rights highly: they mostly expect teachers to provide them with information on child rights; the students obtain the majority of such information in the civic education classes, which is an optional subject and is not attended by all students, as well as in homeroom sessions. Teachers believe that it is the responsibility of homeroom teachers to familiarise students with the rights of a child. The rights to freedom of expression of students and their participation in decision-making are the least respected, according to both students and teachers. Furthermore, all believe that some forms of discrimination exist in schools. We have found especially significant suggestions and recommendations given by students and teachers to overcome the existing problems and provide better access to the rights of the child in school.
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BaÅ¡ić, S. (2009). Dijete (uÄenik) kao partner u odgoju: kritiÄko razmatranje [Child (student) as a partner in education: Critical consideration]. Odgojne znanosti, 11(2), 7–44.
Bognar, B., & Simel, S. (2013). Filozofska polaziÅ¡ta pozitivne pedagogije [Philosophical starting points of positive pedagogy]. MetodiÄki ogledi, 20(1), 137–168.
Chür, C. (2015). Realisation of a child’s right to a basic education in the South African school system: Some lessons from Germany. The Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal/Potchefstroomse Elektroniese Regsblad, 18(7), 2405–2455.
Cohen, P. (2001). United Nations convention on the rights of the child: Individual rights concepts and their significance for social scientists. American Psychologist, 46(1), 60–65.
David, P. (2002). Implementing the rights of the child: Six reasons why the human rights of children remain a constant challenge. International Review of Education, 48(3/4), 259–263.
Gajić, O. (2009). Obrazovanje za ljudska prava u obrazovnom sistemu Srbije [Education for human rights in education system in Serbia]. Novi Sad: Filozofski fakultet.
Glasser, W. (2005). Kvalitetna Å¡kola: Å kola bez prisile [Quality school: School without compulsion]. Zagreb: Educa.
Jerome, L. (2012). Children’s rights and teachers’ responsibilities: A case study of developing a rights respecting initial teacher education programme. In R. C. Mitchell & S. A. Moore (Eds.), Politics, Participation and Power Relations (pp. 101–118). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Kilkelly, U. (2010). Religion and education: A children’s rights perspective. Retrieved from https://www.
ihrec.ie/download/pdf/kilkelly_religion_and_education_a_childrens_rights_perspective.pdf
KravaruÅ¡ić, V. (2014). Stavovi uÄenika o proevropskim i nacionalnim vrednostima [Student attitudes about pro-European and national values]. In I. ÄŒutura & V. Trifunović (Eds.), Å kola kao Äinilac razvoja nacionalnog i kulturnog identiteta i proevropskih vrednosti: obrazovanje i vaspitanje – tradicija i savremenost (pp. 241–255). Jagodina: PedagoÅ¡ki fakultet.
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PeÅ¡ikan, Ð. (2003). Obrazovanje i ljudska prava [Education and human rights]. Podgorica: Centar za ljudska prava.
Popadić, D. (2009). Nasilje u školama [Violence in schools]. Beograd: Institut za psihologiju, UNICEF.
Stefanović, Ј., & GlamoÄak, S. (2008). Rod u Äitankama u nastavi srpskog jezika u osnovnoj Å¡koli [Gender in readers in the teaching of Serbian language in elementary school]. Valjevo: Grupa za emancipaciju žena „Hora’.
The right to learn. Community participation in improving learing (2013). Retrieved from http://www.
savethechildren.org/atf/cf/%7B9def2ebe-10ae-432c-9bd0-df91d2eba74a%7D/THE_RIGHT_TO_
LEARN.PDF
Vidović, S. (2000). Kako kažemo zajedno (priruÄnik za voditelje radionica iz oblasti obrazovanja za prava deteta i deÄije participacije) [As we say together (a handbook for workshop leaders in the area of child rights education and child participation)]. Beograd: Jugoslovenski centar za prava deteta.
VuÄković-Å ahović, N. (2011). Prava deteta u meÄ‘unarodnim dokumentima [The child rights in international documents]. Beograd: ZaÅ¡titnik graÄ‘ana, Poverenik za zaÅ¡titu ravnopravnosti.
VuÄković-Å ahović, N., Savić, I., Cicvarić, R., Kalezić Vignjević, A., Žunić Cicvarić, J., … & ÄŒolić, G. (2015). Indikatori ostvarenosti prava deteta u obrazovanju [Indicators of the realisation of the child rights in education]. Užice: UžiÄki centar za prava deteta.
Vranješević, J. (2006). Razvojno-psihološki aspekt Konvencije o pravima deteta [The developmentalpsychological
aspect of the Convention on the Child Rights]. Pedagogija, 51(4), 469 – 478.
VranjeÅ¡ević, J. (2013). Razvojne kompetencije i participacija dece: od stavrnog ka mogućem [Development competences and participation of children: From the aging to the possible]. Beograd: UÄiteljski fakultet.
Zuković, S., & Milutinović, J. (2008). Å kola u duhu novog vremena: obrazovanje za razliÄitost [School in the spirit of the new age: Education for diversity]. Nastava i vaspitanje, 57(4), 530–538.
Woodhead, Ðœ. (2012). RazliÄite perspektive o ranom detinjstvu: teorija, istraživanje i politika [Different perspectives on early childhood: Theory, research and politics]. Beograd: Institut za pedagogiju i andragogiju Filozofskog fakulteta.
Published
2019-03-26
How to Cite
Stamatović, J., & Žunić Cicvarić, J. (2019). Child Rights in Primary Schools – The Situation and Expectations. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, 9(1), 83–102. https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.661
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