The 2025/2026 school year begins today, 1 September 2025, and will end on 12 June 2026. Final-year students in primary and secondary schools will finish earlier, on 19 May 2026. The first semester ends on 26 December 2025, followed by a winter break starting 27 December 2025. The second semester runs from 19 January to 12 June 2026 (or 19 May for graduates).
The school year begins with a warning strike by teachers and professors, protesting salary reductions caused by centralised payroll processing, which has decreased some wages by up to €50 or more. The strike will not disrupt classes; instead, educators will hold meetings outside of teaching hours to raise awareness.
The education union is giving authorities 15 days to fix the issue, after which they may escalate to more serious actions, such as halting classes or organising mass protests. The union emphasised that fighting for teachers’ rights also means defending the quality of public education.
Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Dragan Markovic expressed confidence in reaching an agreement. He highlighted €100m invested in school infrastructure over the past two years and announced further investments in IT equipment. He also mentioned proposed amendments to the collective agreement to increase specific bonuses, and plans to expand school capacity and introduce new staff to help prevent violence and vandalism.
