ACDI/VOCA Helps Boost Filip Filipovic Primary School Into the Modern Age

Katarina Krstic struggled to make ends meet for three years as a part-time computer science teacher. She began to contemplate taking a second job in another school district. However, the donation of 19 computer workstations to her local primary school, Filip Filipovic, made possible through the USAID-funded Community Revitalization through Democratic Action (CRDA) program, has provided Katarina with the opportunity to teach full-time using modern technology. “Now that we have new computers, the demands of all interested students can be met,” explains Katarina. “I don't have to think about looking for a job now that I have enough classes to become a full-time employee."

Computer science is an elective at Filip Filipovic, but it is an extremely popular subject and approximately 90 percent of the students sign up for Katarina’s classes each year. Before the arrival of the new computers, three to four students were forced to share one machine and the technology was outdated.

The schoolchildren now enjoy improved learning conditions and classes consist of sixteen students, with each pupil working at his or her own computer. "Computer science will be compulsory in high school,” says Ivana Kurcubic, a seventh-grade student. “Building a foundation now will help us increase our skills later on."

Twelve-year-old Ivana and her peers have clearly benefited under Katarina’s tutelage, winning first prize at an inter-municipality computer science contest in February 2002. Ivana looks forward to this year’s competition, saying "[Last year] was a huge success. Our teacher is now preparing us for this year's contest, and we hope we will be as successful."

The students are part of the 1,000 citizens in the Čačak area who will benefit directly from the newly equipped computer classroom. As an educator, Katarina sees the broader possibilities, "Computer science is the science of the modern age. There are students here who know more about computers than some of their teachers. This is why we plan to train all the teachers to use computers. It has also been suggested that we offer training to all the interested local people."

The primary objective of CRDA is to support the ability of citizens to take an active role in making decisions that impact their local communities. Citizens recommend priorities for community development at public meetings, identify potential projects, and provide project proposals to ACDI/VOCA through Community Boards made up of members elected at these public meetings. Community Boards are responsible for determining the priority-level of proposals put forward by citizens, submitting proposals for consideration of financing by USAID, and providing all documentation necessary to implement projects. CRDA projects have empowered 15 municipalities in Central Serbia to solve their own problems, impacting over 1.7 million beneficiaries.