Although the law guarantees equality to all citizens regardless of national / ethnic origin, language, religion, and other individual and group differences, the need to learn to respect and appreciate the difference is more than needed in all spheres of life and regardless of profession.
Introduction of inclusion in the education system, suggests the need to become aware of prejudices and stereotypes, and thus, understand the existence of differences and learning to accept them.
This program aims to empower teachers to critically examine their own attitudes and values and to understand the role they play in fostering the development of children and the responsibilities that follow this role. It also provides skills for the introduction of new information and knowledge that help deconstruct stereotypes / prejudices about others, learn how to encourage critical thinking of children / youth, and thus make them more "resistant" to different types of biased opinions. This program works onencouraging accountability for action on a personal and professional level.
The overall objective of the program is to support and strengthen the foundations of mutual relations between different societies and different majority or minority cultural groups; make the effort and recognize different cultural identities and encouraging respect for minorities; overcome negative stereotypes and ethnic stereotypes; favor positive evolution of diversity; seek and emphasize similarity; create positive attitudes and habits of behavior towards people from other societies and cultures; convert into practice the principles of solidarity and civic courage.
The expected effects (on theoretical and practical levels):
- Respect for diversity, as a possible model for developing critical awareness of the problems of unequal treatment of people because of the differences that exist between them
- Learning and exchange of information on topics that are necessary for the establishment of a just society (ways of functioning of a democratic civil society, critical thinking, questioning each other's positions and arguments, openness to learning and change)
- Creating conditions in which diversity is seen as something that enriches
- Developing sensitivity to social problems and motivation to take concrete action to address these issues
The program is divided into two modules for a period of 4 days or 32 hours. The program has already been implemented in several schools in Montenegro in year 2009/10 in elementary schools in Budva, Podgorica and Pljevlja. Currently NGO “STAZE” is implementing a training program in 8 elementary schools in Montenegro. This project is funded by the EU through the EU Delegation to Montenegro "Support to Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities in Montenegro".
