Law on dual education to bring new features for students and employers – Lowest compensation amount at 70% of minimum wage

The draft law on dual education envisages agreements between the employer and the school, but also between the employer and the student, who is given rights, obligations and responsibilities, the violation of which leads to the termination of the agreement, Mirjana Kovacevic, the head of the Center for Education of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, told RTS.

As surveys show, Serbia is 134th on the list of 137 of countries looking by capacities for retaining quality workforce. This problem, as well as a long search for a job, should be overcome with the law on dual education, which is currently undergoing the necessary procedure at the National Assembly.

Kovacevic says that, at the moment, dual education was being realized in 60 schools cooperating with 200 companies, with 3,000 students in the program.

– The law should invest everybody with responsibility and provide certainty, as the draft law clearly specifies the role of the employer, who is responsible for studying through work and the realization of a part of the plan and the program. Agreements between the employer and the school are defined, but also between the employer and the student, who is given rights, obligations and responsibilities, the violation of which leads to the termination of the agreement – Kovacevic told RTS.

The most important new feature, she points out, are the defined terms – the company needs to have instructors and equipment enabling the realization of the plan and the program.

Kovacevic points out that those currently in the program meet all the requirements.

– Through pilot programs, we have reached the conclusion about how terms should be established and how transport, food, insurance and compensations should be secured – she added.

The draft law envisages the lowest compensation amount at 70% of the minimum wage, although employers may set aside more in accordance with their possibilities and students' efforts.

The opposition criticizes the draft law, as it believes that cheap workforce is being created this way.

– These are students, not workers, they have an instructor, the plan and the program. When they enter the working environment, they don't know anything, they need to learn – Kovacevic said and added that students had the opportunity to learn from the best and to apply theoretical knowledge in practice.

A large number of employers have financed the compensations so far, while also providing scholarships, Kovacevic pointed out.

Privredna komora Srbije

CCIS

Center for Education of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia

Law on Dual Education

dual education

Mirjana Kovacevic

compensation for workers

compensation for students

agreement between employer and school

agreement between employer and student