The Islamic Pedagogical Faculty of the University of Zenica in cooperation with the Pedagogical Institute of the Canton of Zenica,
organized a round table entitled Inclusive Education: Challenges and Perspectives, on 26.
November 2024. About 180 participants, directors gathered in the Faculty's amphitheater
primary and secondary schools of the Zenica-Doboj Canton, and members of inclusive school teams, and
representative of the Pedagogical Institute.
The objectives of the Round Table were to provide support to directors of educational institutions and
members of inclusive teams in efforts to improve the position of children with disabilities in
regular education and ensuring equal opportunities for all children, as well as promoting
inclusive education as a modern trend in the education system. Then the identification
key obstacles in the process of developing inclusion in the ZDC, and the exploration and elaboration of the role
of teaching assistants in the inclusive classroom, as well as the necessity of selecting teaching assistants according to
professional competences and awareness for working with students with developmental disabilities.
At the very beginning, in the introduction, Aida Salkić, director of the Pedagogical Institute of the Canton of ZDK, addressed the audience.
co-organizer, and on behalf of the host of the meeting, the dean of the Islamic Pedagogical Faculty. In the work
The roundtable was attended by Amila Herceg-Hodžić, expert advisor for inclusive
education at the Pedagogical Institute of ZDK, Prof. Dr. Muharem Adilović, full professor with
scientific field Social Work and Social Policy, M.Sc. Emina Šarić-Krajišnik, senior assistant at
in the scientific field of Social Pedagogy and Head of the Department for Inclusive Education, and Hatidža Fazlija,
a parent whose child is a user of the teaching assistance service.
The following conclusions from today's Round Table stand out:
The method of selecting assistants when engaging in schools must take into account professional
candidate's competencies.
A teaching assistant is a professional support to the class, teacher and members of the inclusive
team at school.
Adequate professional support can only be expected from the expert profile he has
acquired competences necessary for the work of teaching assistant, and sensitization to work with
students with developmental disabilities.
Social pedagogues stand out as important and professional support in school work, especially in
areas of prevention of behavioral difficulties among students, support in everyday life
activities of all stakeholders in the teaching process, as well as support in the work of inclusive teams.
We would like to thank all principals of primary and secondary schools from the ZDK area, as well as
to the members of the inclusive teams for their presence, and especially to the Pedagogical Institute of the ZDK for
cooperation and implementation of this joint project.
BA