Published: September 12, 2025
Civic initiatives have prepared a report that records a new type of repression in the education system of Serbia, which is being carried out on a massive scale during 2024/2025. year.
After a wave of wage cuts for employees in educational institutions earlier this year, a systematic pattern of criminal charges, disciplinary proceedings, dismissals and dismissals of principals and teachers has now been introduced. The examples and cases listed in the report represent only the tip of the iceberg – these are cases that have been reported and documented, while numerous pressures on employees in education remain unreported and outside official records.
According to trade unions and professional networks, more than 100 school employees have already lost their jobs or contract extensions, while over 110 disciplinary procedures have been initiated in high schools and elementary schools in numerous cities (Subotica, Belgrade, Srbobran, Požarevac, Gornji Milanovac). The Ministry of Education confirmed that 25 school principals were replaced, and that as many as 75 principals resigned, while in Niš the local authorities replaced entire school boards in 26 schools. At the universities, rectors and vice-rectors have been repeatedly questioned and faced with criminal charges, which the academic community sees as an open attempt at intimidation.
These cases show that formal reasons (disciplinary measures, inspection findings, technological redundancies) serve as an excuse for politically motivated retaliation against employees who supported pupils and students in protests. This violates the basic constitutional principles of equality, prohibition of discrimination and autonomy of educational institutions. Unions and academic networks warn that this wave of repression can have devastating long-term consequences: loss of quality personnel, collapse of trust in institutions and further subjugation of education to political interests.
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Report last updated on May 20, 2026.