The first full-day OVEP training session for more than 30 teachers from 18 Montenegrin schools was held yesterday in Podgorica, marking an important step towards the introduction of the Olympic Values Education Programme in classrooms from the next academic year.
This is the first of two planned training sessions organised by the Montenegrin Olympic Committee in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation. During the training, participants were also provided with teaching manuals to support the delivery of the programme.
The first session was led by Nataša Janković from the Olympic Committee of Serbia, Goran Prebeg from the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education at the University of Belgrade, and Bojan Gerzina from “Filip Filipović” Primary School in Belgrade. Their extensive experience of more than a decade in delivering similar educational programmes ensured that the training was grounded in proven practice and practical examples of OVEP implementation in schools.
“I am very satisfied with today’s seminar. I believe we achieved excellent results. This is only the first part of the Olympic education training, but it seems to me that the teachers’ response was very positive. It is always important to speak openly and honestly about both challenges and opportunities, and everything we worked on, learned and practised today can be applied in practice,” said Nataša Janković following the training.
The Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) was developed by the International Olympic Committee and is being introduced in Montenegro following a positive opinion from the Bureau for Education Services and approval from the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation. Unlike traditional sports programmes, OVEP is not a separate subject and does not add to the existing curriculum load, but is instead integrated into existing subjects and cross-curricular themes, primarily physical education, as well as elective subjects such as Sport for Athletes and Healthy Lifestyles.
“Olympic values—respect, dedication and excellence—should not be the foundation only for athletes, but for every individual in daily life. Through our work with children, we promote these values by encouraging them to give their best, while also appreciating their own effort and the effort of others, respecting fair play and one another. This helps them develop healthy habits, accept both victory and defeat, and grow into socially responsible, aware and healthy individuals,” said Lidija Ivanović, a physical education teacher at “Maksim Gorki” Primary School in Podgorica and one of the participants.
Her colleague, Novica Gardašević from “Blažo Mraković” Primary School in Donji Zagarač, Danilovgrad, added that “through subjects such as physical education, healthy lifestyles, history and other cross-curricular themes, we will be able to transfer today’s experiences to our students, with the aim of fostering Olympic values. Above all, I am referring to fair play and mutual respect. I also believe this programme can significantly contribute to addressing peer violence and preventing it in the future.”
The importance of introducing the programme into the Montenegrin education system lies in the fact that OVEP directly addresses key challenges faced by schools today, including reduced physical activity among children, peer violence, intolerance and the need for the systematic development of social and emotional skills. The programme focuses on the holistic development of individuals through three core Olympic values—excellence, friendship and respect—using sport and movement as a pedagogical tool rather than a competitive discipline.
The programme will be implemented from September in the following schools: Novka Ubović Primary School, Savo Pejanović Primary School, “Sutjeska” Primary School, Milorad Musa Burzan Primary School, Maksim Gorki Primary School and Radojica Perović Primary School in Podgorica; Vuk Karadžić Primary School, Marko Miljanov Primary School and “21 May” Primary School in Bijelo Polje; Olga Golović Primary School, Branko Višnjić Primary School and Stojan Cerović Gymnasium in Nikšić; “Jugoslavija” Primary School and “Kekec” Primary School in Bar; Blažo Mraković Primary School in Danilovgrad; “Tucanje” Primary School in Petnjica; Mirko Srzentić Primary School in Petrovac; and “Njegoš” Primary School in Kotor.
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