Panel “Uniformity of Opinion”

Join us for the panel “Uniformity of Opinion”, dedicated to the recent amendments to the Textbook Law and the announced introduction of textbooks of special national importance. The panel will take place on March 3, 2026, at the Museum of the Ninties (Kneza Miloša 3, Belgrade), starting at 11:00 AM.

In recent months, the issue of national textbooks has raised serious questions about the direction of education policy. While the executive authorities insist that the state should take a key role in defining “nationally important content,” part of the professional community warns that such intervention could lead to a narrowing of space for critical debate, undermine professional standards in textbook development, and further politicize education.

What exactly do these amendments bring, and what long-term consequences might they have for future generations of students?

These questions will be discussed by:

Prof. Dr. Dubravka Stojanović and Prof. Dr. Dragica Pavlović Babić, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade

Ana Manojlović, journalist at RTS

Dejan Ilić, columnist

Gordana Plemić, Association of Parents

Dositej Jovanović, Union of Secondary School Students of Serbia

Participants will speak about the quality of existing textbooks, the transparency of procedures for introducing new editions, as well as possible models that could make the entire process more open and accountable to the public. A special part of the discussion will focus on the availability of information and the role of the media in monitoring education policies—how clear decision-making procedures are, how accessible data is to the public, and what challenges journalists face when trying to obtain such information. The panel will also address how education policies, and the way they are presented to the public, shape the public sphere and influence the formation of young people’s views.

The project is implemented within the “EU Resource Center for Civil Society in Serbia” project, carried out by Belgrade Open School in partnership with civil society organizations: Novi Sad School of Journalism, ENECA, Užice Center for the Rights of the Child, Nova Planska Praksa, Sigurne Staze, Young Farmers of Serbia, and the international partner, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. The project is supported by the European Union and will be implemented in the period from 2023 to 2026.