Quality of Life
The Culture
From the cultural aspect the development of Šumadija and Pomoravlje records its ascent from the sixteenth century with the work of ‘Resavska scribal school’, the creator of librarianship in this area. Another curiosity is the first theater founded in the post-Turkish Serbia, in the mid-19th century, in Kragujevac, which nowadays operates under the name ‘ The Knjaževsko serbski Theatre’.
In addition to the aforementioned Knjaževsko serbski theater the following cultural institutions in the territory of Šumadija and Pomoravlje should be mentioned: The Faculty for Philology and Arts, the University of Kragujevac, the National Museum in Kragujevac, the Memorial Park ’21st October’ in Kragujevac, the Museum of Naive Art in Jagodina, The Museum in Jagodina, The Museum of Coal Mining in Despotovac, The Open-air museum ‘Kalenić in Rekovac, The museum in Paraćin, the School for music talents in Ćuprija, the Foundation of King Peter in Topola, The Railway Museum in Lapovo.
The existence of the Department of Music Academy at the Faculty of Philology and Arts, as well as the school for musical talents in Ćuprija, led to the organization of a number of musical events with particular emphasis on the International Festival of Choirs OKTOH, which is traditionally held in Kragujevac in mid-October. The following artistic and cultural events in the territory of Sumadija and Pomoravlje stand out: The review of sculptural creativity ‘Marble and Sounds’ in Aranđelovac, ‘Joakim Fest’ in Kragujevac, ‘The Festival of Theatre premieres’ in Paracin, ‘I walked through Levač, I passed through Šumadija’ in the monastery of Kalenić, ‘The Days of Serbian cultural transformation’ in the monastery of Manasija, ‘The days of people's art’ in Topola, ‘The Days of Comedy’ in Jagodina, ‘The International Art Colony’ in Knić, ‘Sinđelić’s days’ in Svilajnac.
Education
A total of 84 primary schools are registered In municipalities of Šumadija and Pomoravlje. This number refers to primary schools as separate legal entities. Since many of these schools have remote units in the areas of the region, we can say that the number of primary schools in Šumadija and Pomoravlje is much higher: over 300.
The largest number of primary schools in the region of Šumadija and Pomoravlje are situated in the city of Kragujevac - 25, then municipality of Aranđelovac - 12 and the city of Jagodina - 12.
In addition to the traditional elementary schools on the territory of Šumadija and Pomoravlje there are five more primary schools for music education.
Two primary schools for children with special needs operatein the cities of Kragujevac and Jagodina.
The number of secondary schools as separate legal entities in Serbia, and Morava is 31. To this number a remote unit of Kragujevac Medical School in Smederevska Palanka municipality that does not belong to Šumadija and Pomoravlje should be added. The largest number of high schools is registered in Kragujevac - 8, and then in the municipalities of Jagodina and Paraćin - 4 each.
The number of Grammar schools in the municipalities of Šumadija and Pomoravlje is 8, whereby two units are remote. Kragujevac (two), Aranđelovac, Batočina, Topola, Jagodina, Paraćin and Ćuprija are the cities and municipalities with grammar schools. The grammar schools in Batočina and Topola represent remote units of the First Grammar school of Kragujevac, and in Aranđelovac respectively. In addition to these schools in some of the remaining municipalities, there are schools that were registered as secondary vocational schools, which offer educational profile of grammar school type. Such schools exist in Rača, Svilajnac, Topola and Batočina.
As for the educational courses of study in secondary schools in the region there is the possibility to attend 24 educational courses. The courses with the largest number of students are the mechanical engineering and metal processing, electrical engineering and economics.
The best representative of the higher education in the territory of the Šumadija and Pomoravlje region is the University of Kragujevac.
The University of Kragujevac is an independent higher education institution founded by the Republic of Serbia.
The University was established on 21st May 1976, but the first higher education institutions in Kragujevac began operating in 1960, as the departments of Belgrade faculties. The roots of the University of Kragujevac and higher education in Serbia date back to 1838, when first educational, cultural and economic institutions and the first higher education institution sprang in Kragujevac, the capital city of the renewed Serbia at the time; then the, Lyceum of the Principality of Serbia, was established, which was moved to Belgrade in 1841 and became the University of Belgrade.
In developing the concept of the University a model of widespread university was adopted, which is developed on the principle of decentralization, and according to the needs of the economy and social activities of Šumadija and Pomoravlje.
Today the University of Kragujevac consists of 11 faculties, as follows:
- The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Kragujevac
- The Faculty of Economics in Kragujevac
- The Faculty of Law in Kragujevac
- The Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Kragujevac
- The Faculty of Medicine in Kragujevac
- The Faculty of Philology and Arts in Kragujevac
- The Technical Faculty in Čačak
- The Agricultural Faculty in Čačak
- The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Kraljevo
- The Pedagogical Faculty in Jagodina
- The Teacher Training Faculty in Užice
In addition, within the University of Kragujevac there are: University Computing Centre, The Centre for the Scientific Research of SANU (The Serbian Academy of arts and Sciences) and University of Kragujevac, The Center for Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies and Research and the Center for The Career Development and student Counceling
Recently, with the emergence of private universities, there has been an opening of faculty offices of universities in the cities and municipalities of the region, making the infrastructure (network) of higher education institutions enriched ruthrer.
As for the higher education in the territory of the Šumadija and Pomoravlje region there are three colleges with the approval of the Ministry of education for providing educational services. Two of the three colleges are from the group of technical colleges, and one is from a group of senior medical school. These colleges are:
- The Technical College of mechanical and transport profession, Kragujevac
- The College of technology for non-metals, Aranđelovac
- The Medical college, Ćuprija
The founder of these schools is the Republic of Serbia.
The Health and Social Security
The system of health services in the region are directly implemented through a network of health centers and conditioned by the degree of the development organizations and the technology work. There is one Clinical Center - Clinical Center Kragujevac in the territory, with the two departments: one of public health and medical centers, 13 medical centers.
On the other hand, the bearers of social protection systems in the region are the centers for social work, gerontology centers (in the cities of Kragujevac and Jagodina), the Institute for adult care in Kragujevac,the homes for children without parental care (in the city of Kragujevac, the municipality of Cuprija) and the Red Cross. In the city of Kragujevac, The Red Cross Regional Distribution Centre operates the activities of which cover 13 municipal organizations.
Sports
Within the Sports Federation of Serbia a number municipal sport associations of all the cities and municipalities of Šumadija and Pomoravlje operate, as well as branch sport federations. The total number of registered sport associations that operate in the territory of the region is 26.
In the cities / municipalities of Šumadija and Pomoravlje there is a large number of sport clubs (over 500) and individuals who have acomplished high results the on national and international competitions in recent decades.
The Recreational sport playing is significantly present, which is a result of high level of sports infrastructure development.
