Slavko Petrovic (29) is one among two thousand adults in Serbia who enrolled in the EU project “Second Chance” in order to complete elementary education in this school year.

This citizen from Kragujevac interrupted the elementary education in the 7th grade, rushing to find a job and improve life conditions as he was living in a bad material situation. In the last sixteen years, he already changed 8 professions; he used to work as a vulcaniser, auto mechanic, fork lift driver, machinist, high construction worker, welder, taxi driver and even as an electrician. His essential motivation to use “Second Chance” was the fact that without a certificate he earns less money than his colleagues with qualifications for the same jobs. He also hopes that the certificate will help him to find a stable long-term job.

This is exactly what the European union and the Ministry of Education and Science have enabled him through the “Second Chance” project, which the EU finances with 4 million €. This year, Slavko enrolled in the third, final, cycle of classes where he will finish the 7th and 8th grades and a 3-month vocational training, all in one school year. In June, Slavko will get two certificates, one for completed elementary education, the other for a vocational training, whereas both will be inscribed in his working booklet. Beside the 8 professions he already has in his hands, Slavko accepted to attend a free-of-charge vocational training for a cook assistant which was offered to him within the “Second Chance”.

He attends classes in the elementary school “Dragisa Lukovic Spanac” in Kragujevac. As the classes are being held four times per week in the evening hours, the school does not interfere with his search for a better job or his current work. He judges that the most useful for him are the math classes, as they remind him about tips he didn’t understand well in an earlier age. The English classes will help him to look for a job even in foreign companies.

- At the beginning, my friends where teasing me about my return to school, but when they saw that I was persistаnt, they started to support me. It is nothing difficult, my life has changed, I met new people, every day I learn something new. I feel very good, as I did something concrete to improve the way I live. I have a hope, and a will to continue with education even after the “Second Chance”. It is not too late, even for a University – says Slavko Petrovic.

The functional elementary education for adults – the “Second Chance” is being implemented in 80 elementary schools throughout Serbia. In cooperation with the National Employment Service, secondary schools will soon join the project, as they will, starting from March, realise vocational training for the final 3rd cycle participants.

It is expected that around 650 adults will finish vocational training for one of 50 offered vocations in this year immediately after completing the elementary education.

The “Second Chance” project – systemic development of elementary education for adults in Serbia is implemented by GOPA Consultants in consortium with dvv-international and EAEA (European Association for Adult Education).