Sociology and Space, No. 51-52, 1976.
Review article
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION IN RURAL AREAS
Blagoje Mujović
Abstract
During the period of socialist development in Yugoslavia great and important
results have also been achieved in elementary education in rural areas, considering
especially that in pre-war Yugoslavia the schooling system was poorly developed
and that many school buildings were totally destroyed during the war.
Undeveloped elementary schools in rural areas and their local branches have
to cope with two major ana complex problems: first, how to include all children
of scnool age and, secondly, how 10 ensure hign-quality tuition.
In all Yugoslav republics and provinces the existing number of eight-class
elementary schools ana their local branches maxe it possible to cover all children
in tne age group of /—11 (i. e. schooling cnnuren m lour classes of elementary
school), rlowever, the existing number or schools is not sufficient to cover also
children of 11—la years of age fi. e. children in the higher classes or elementary
school). Ihe size or the areas covered by individual elementary schools, the conriguration
of the ground, and the distance or the pupus' homes from the seat of
tne respective eignt-ctass elementary school make it airficult for many pupils to
continue attending school after finishing the fourth class of elementary school.
As a result and also because of the erroneous view of some parents regarding the
need or giving children (especially female chnaren) aavanced schooling, a large
number of children drop out after the rourtn class of elementary school.
A great and almost insoluble problem is how to provide instruction on special
subjects in the higher classes ot undeveloped elementary schools, which have little
prospect for completing their teaching starts. In most cases in these schools
Leachers cannot give the regulated number or lessons teaching their particular
subjects, but must teach other subjects outsiae their particular domain in order
to till the required number of lessons.
The relation between developed and undeveloped regions viewed from the
aspect of socially unequal conditions tor education, is one or the important questions
which point to the necessity of a marxist sociological investigation of this
phenomenon. It is a paradox that in the Yugoslav society tne gap between country
and town as regards development level is widening msteaa ot narroving.
1 he considerable disporportion in development levels which exists not only
between individual republics and provinces but also within the republics and provinces
themselves (including also differences in the level of aeveiopment between
rural and urban areas) calls for solidarity in the development of education. This
must be not only one of the highly important and permanent tasks of the Yugoslav
self-management socialist society out also a permanent consideration of all
working people in every sphere of lire and work.
The disproportion between country and town in the sphere of education and
training can best be seen from the following three tacts relating to elementary
education in rural areas: (1) consiuerable proportion ot inadequately trained teaching
staff, (2) inadequate equipment of schools, (3) very difficult conditions under
which a large number of pupils attend school (walking 15—20 or even more kilometres
a day, doing farm work, etc.). To all this we must add that the current
development of rural areas is also accompanied by many contradictions which are
manifested primarily in a conflict between the traditional and the new social
relations and views.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
118983
URI
Publication date:
22.6.1976.
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