СПЕЦИФИЧНОСТИ У ПОГЛЕДУ ОБРАЗОВАЊА ПРЕМА НАЦИОНАЛНОЈ ПРИПАДНОСТИ И МУЛТИКУЛТУРАЛИЗАМ У СРБИЈИ
ETHNICITY-RELATED EDUCATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AS AN ASPECT OF MULTICULTURALISM IN SERBIA

Author(s): Ankica S. Šobot
Subject(s): Politics, Education, Sociology, Inter-Ethnic Relations, Ethnic Minorities Studies
Published by: Институт друштвених наука
Keywords: education; ethnicity; social integration; Serbia
Summary/Abstract: The focus of this analysis is the review of the educational characteristics of ethnic groups as an aspect of the Serbian society multiculturalism. The shares of persons without educational attainment or those with incomplete primary education as well as the shares of those highly educated have been analyzed. The comparision in relation to Serbian nationality is the key stand point of the consideration. Some ethnic groups are distinguished by unfavorable educational characteristics. The most striking disadvantage refers to Roma people due to the fact that almost half of the population aged 15–24 have not completed primary education or did not attend the Primary School at all. Also, the share of the highly educated was less than one percentage of all generations. As for persons with this kind of educational characteristics, even the low percentage draws attention, bearing in mind negative implications related to social status as well as the opportunity for human resources development. Hence, even significantly lower percentages in generations covered by the compulsory primary education among the other ethnic minorities (Romanians, Vlachs, Hungarians, Bosniaks, Slovaks, ...), but also in Serbian population, are a sort of a challenge. In terms of the tertiary education, including persons aged 25–34, 35–64 and 65 or over, the percentage among Hungarinas, Bosnians, Bunjevci and Slovaks is about two times lower in comparision with Serbs (26.5%; 19%; 12.8%, respectively). That is considered as a disadvantageous distinction, as well. Low percentage of highly educated persons is affected by many factors. In addition to the social conditions that could act as limiting, a certain influence can be attributed to the immigration factors. Taking into account results of the research which refer to the whole population of Serbia, the reasons for the emigration of the highly educated can be found in a wider social context (including socio-economic factors as well as uncertainty regading the future). That should be kept in mind when it comes to nationalities, as well. The highest percentage of the persons who have achived tertiary education is noticed among Russians (25–34 years old – 57.9%, 35–64 – 48.1% and aged 65 or over – 49.7%) and Slovenians (34.9%, 31.4% i 30.9%), as smaller ethnic groups. In all generations of Montenegrins there are also relatively high shares of the persons characterized by high education level (30.5%; 21.7%, 20.9%). This indicates that this is a traditional characteristic of this ethnicity. Apart from being referred to as the socio-cultural characteristic, when it comes to the less represented nationalities, the widespread tertiary education can also be considered as the consequence of the immigration of a number of university-educated persons to Serbia, due to professional, business or some personal reasons. The educational structure of national minorities in Serbia is not entirely favorable framework regarding the multiculturalism. Thus, the above-mentioned educational characteristics and distinctions between the nationalities are not the result of inequality and discrimination on ethnic grounds, and the influence of ethnicity manifests through the socio-economic position and cultural peculiarities of ethnic groups. The special segment of the analysis is related to the educational characteristics of persons who are not nationally identified. A positive experience in terms of economic and overall social integration in the case of higher education can weaken the need of emphasizing a national identity, which results in overcoming the identification on the basis of ethnicity.

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