School year starts amid anxiety for safety of children

A 7th grade student walked into the Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school in central Belgrade and gunned down several fellow students and a security guard. The school year was cut short following the incident with state officials claiming everything would be done to prevent similar incidents including heightened security and a stronger police presence.

The Ribnikar School said that the entrance used by the killer would be closed and a memorial room set up. An N1 journalist saw children going into the school using that entrance on Friday morning. The journalist also saw four police officers in front of the school.

The Beta news agency said that 65,000 children would be starting school and 760,000 others would be continuing in elementary and high schools, adding that the first day’s classes would be devoted to security and values.

The Education Ministry said that its focus is on the safety of school children. The ministry sent guidelines to schools on August 17 to help them organize their activities following the mass shooting in May. It also introduced a new subject named Virtues and Values as Compass in Life along with mandatory pedagogues and psychologists at every school.