Frequently Asked Questions
Please find below some of the most frequently asked
questions about education reform.
We hope that it will be useful and welcome your feedback and comments.
We are providing the best information available to us at the date
of writing and intend to update it at frequent intervals. Please
note, however, that this document should be used as a guide only.
I. Background
Why is OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)
playing an active role in education reform in BiH?
The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has played an
active role in education reform in BiH since July 2002, when, at
the request of the High Representative and as agreed by the OSCE
Permanent Council, the Mission assumed responsibility for the co-ordination
and facilitation of the work of the International Community in the
education sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Following development of the Education Reform Strategy, one of
OSCE’s primary roles has been to ensure that all efforts are focused,
effective and goal-oriented. Education reform is an immense undertaking,
involving hundreds of local education experts, authorities and NGOs,
as well as international agencies.
What is the Education Reform Strategy?
The strategy "Reforming Education to Give BiH a Better Future"
was presented by the BiH Entity Education Ministers, the Federation
of BiH Deputy Minister of Education and the BiH Minister for Human
Rights and Refugees to the Peace Implementation Council in Brussels
on 21 November 2002. The document was developed by the six working
groups (comprised of local and international education professionals)
and consists of five pledges as well as the key objectives needed
to deliver them. The goal is to de-politicise education and create
conditions that will ensure equal access to a high quality, modern
education in BiH.
What steps are being taken to follow
up on the endorsement of the Education Reform Strategy by the Peace
Implementation Council (PIC) in November 2002?
Regular progress reports and updates will be given to the PIC both
by the International Community and the BiH authorities. The most
recent progress report was given in June 2003 and can be downloaded
from this website (Download).
The International Community has provided its own progress report
available for download – latest one was compiled in March 2005.
II. Accessible, Acceptable and Effective for
All
Do reforms threaten the identity of young people and
the richness that lies in the cultures of BiH?
Having a coherent, consistent education system will ensure freedom
of movement throughout BiH but it will also allow for the appropriate
room for dealing with the particular history, language, etc. of
one's own people. A modern and high quality education system supports
individual development and fosters an appreciation for one's own
culture and other cultures, and education reform in BiH aims to
do just that. Such an education system should and will support an
appreciation and respect for diverse cultures.
What was the textbook review process?
The books children use should instil knowledge - not politics.
In spring 2003, education ministries exchanged textbooks used for
national subjects (according to Interim Agreement they consist of
language and literature, history, geography, nature and society,
and religious instruction) in order to review these textbooks for
any content which could be viewed as inappropriate. Twenty-four
textbook experts - 12 from the Federation and 12 from the RS - met
to exchange findings and agree on any inappropriate material that
needs to be removed. Experts also provided advice on how to ensure
a more balanced coverage of all constituent peoples of Bosnia and
Herzegovina and to highlight the fact that BiH is the home country
of the students.
Their joint recommendations were sent to the education ministries
and publishers to ensure that starting with the 2003/2004 school
year, only material acceptable to all will be found in textbooks.
What are guidelines for history and
geography textbooks?
Given that the textbook review process did not address that textbooks
modernization and historical content taught by applying modern methodological
approaches, a Commission for the Development of Guidelines on Textbook
Writing for History and Geography was established. The aim of the
Commission, comprised of equal numbers from the Republika Srpska
and the Federation was to ensure that in all textbooks and supplemental
textbooks -
students have a basic understanding of the history and geography
of all three constituent people and national minorities; Bosnia
and Herzegovina is used as a main reference point; the three constituent
peoples and national minorities are presented in a balanced manner;
contested interpretations of proscribed curriculum content are addressed
in a manner appropriate to all three constituent peoples and national
minorities; neighbouring countries are presented in a balanced manner.
What barriers do Roma face to school
enrolment?
Currently, the presence of Roma in schools is sporadic at best.
Very few Romani children attend the later grades of primary and
secondary schools. Extremely poor living conditions, lack of proper
clothing and the inability to purchase required schoolbooks are
the most common reasons for the exclusion of Roma from schools,
despite a willingness of many parents to enroll their children.
What is being done to ensure Roma
gain greater access to education in BiH?
As part of the Education Reform Strategy, a special Task Force
has developed an Action Plan on the Educational Needs of Roma and
Other National Minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and OSCE is
working to help insure its implementation.
OSCE field staff, in close collaboration with school directors,
municipal authorities and NGOs are working at the local level to
provide solutions. In Modrica municipality, for example, 50 Romani
children attended summer school classes in 2003, out of which 39
children enrolled for the 2003/2004 school year. In 2005, two-month-long
summer schools started in Bijeljina and for the first time for students
in Zivinice. Approximately 90 Romani children were enrolled in Bijeljina
and Zivinice. In Gradiška municipality, the mayor has supported
families of Romani children with enrolment fees for Romani students
in secondary school. Catch-up classes are being planned in two of
the municipalities' main schools.
Another successful example from which education stakeholders can
learn can be found at the Džemaludin Cauševic Primary School from
the municipality of Novi Grad in Sarajevo Canton. The director of
that school obtained permission to allow Roma children to retroactively
take exams required to start or continue their education. All Roma
children from the school's catchment area already took and passed
all necessary exams and finally caught up with their generation
putting the total number of Roma students attending regular teaching
at 60. Additionally, the school continues to organize exams for
Roma children coming from other schools as well as extra support
classes prior to those exams. Additionally, the school addressed
the needs of those students - Roma and non-Roma - who could not
afford lunch by providing a hot lunch through donor assistance.
What is "inclusive education"?
Inclusive education means that all children should be able to attend
regular mainstream schools in their area of residence. It means
that children with special needs attend regular schools instead
of attending special education schools or going to residential institutions.
Inclusive education is based on the assumption that differences
between people are normal and that the learning should be suited
to the needs of all children, without having the child follow the
prescribed assumptions. For that reason, inclusive education is
a process of increasing the participation of all students in schools
and not only of disabled children. The guiding principle that inspires
inclusive education is that schools should accept all children regardless
to their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, language or
other characteristics.
How does “inclusive education” work
in practice?
The idea of inclusive education is to have all stakeholders involved
in the process of inclusion of children in mainstream schools, i.e.
parents, teachers, school directors, pedagogues and other students
as well. Parents and school officials need to work closely with
each other in order to help the child. A child in an inclusive classroom
should have an individualised programme developed to suit his/her
own needs, and in some cases a teacher's aid can be provided for
the classroom. The individualised educational programme means that
all children are following the same classes but that the expectations
could be adjusted to children's capabilities. In that regard, the
project of the non-governmental organization "Duga" has
many good practices in inclusion of children with mental disabilities.
Isn't it better to have children with
learning disabilities sent to special education schools where specialist
teachers can work closely with them?
The role of the inclusion is very significant in the sense that
that it provides the “socialising” experience. Children interact
with each other and benefit from their experiences. In such an environment,
a child with a learning disability can learn much more rather than
in an isolated setting.
Although some types of disabilities might require attention of
the special education teacher or a speech therapist, the focus always
needs to be on the inclusion of the child in regular classes to
the greatest extent possible.
It should be noted that in a regular classroom, the child acquires
a great deal of knowledge not only from the teacher, but also from
his/her peers and becomes a full member of the society.
Does the Education Reform Strategy,
endorsed by all Cantonal and Entity Ministers of Education in November
2002, provide any guidelines regarding the inclusion of children
with special needs?
Yes, the Education Reform Strategy gives very specific guidelines
regarding the education of children with special needs. Pledge 1
of the Strategy stipulates that it is necessary to assess the number
of children with special needs and the difficulties they face in
order to determine the challenges that impede their inclusion into
the general classroom. Pledge 1 also sets out that it is necessary
to develop a plan to educate the community with respect to the inclusion
of children with special needs at all levels of the education system.
Pledge 2 additionally calls for the development and implementation
of a programme of pre- and in-service teacher training for children
with special needs at all levels of education.
At the same time, the current classification system for children
with special needs must be revised to ensure that contemporary principles
of inclusive education are followed.
What is being done to ensure the full
implementation of these goals?
A Task Force on Inclusive Education has been established which
is co-chaired by local experts from both Entities and includes experts
on this issue from throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Task Force
has assessed the number of children with special needs in schools
throughout BiH to determine the obstacles to full inclusion of children
with special needs in the mainstream classes. The group is now developing
implementation plans (has developed the Action Plan) which will
ensure full implementation of goals stipulated in Pledges 1 and
2 of the Education Reform Strategy. The Action Plan is still pending
the endorsement by the ministers responsible for education.
III. Education Legislation
Why is a State-level Framework Law on Primary and
Secondary education necessary?
The Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education was unanimously
adopted by the BiH Parliament in 2003. Its adoption is one of the
commitments undertaken by BiH when it became the 44th member state
of the Council of Europe. It is grounded in the five Pledges detailing
the Education Reform Agenda of Bosnia and Herzegovina endorsed at
the Peace Implementation Council meeting of 21 November 2002. Its
adoption means a set of standards, basic principles and norms applicable
throughout the State of BiH.
The State Framework Law on Primary and General Secondary Education
aims to ensure greater mobility for all students across BiH and
to facilitate wider recognition of school certificates. It allows
for greater school autonomy, more democratic school management and
increased parent and teacher involvement and partnership.
Has the entity/cantonal legislation
been fully harmonised with the state-level Framework Law on Primary
and Secondary Education and is it being implemented?
According to Article 59 paragraph 3 of the State Framework Law
on Primary and Secondary Education, “All State, Entity, Cantonal
and District of Brcko laws, as well as other relevant regulations
in the field of education, shall be harmonized with the provisions
of this Law within six (6) months at the latest as of the date of
entering of this Law into force.”
All the lower level laws (RS, BD, Cantonal) have been harmonised
with the State Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education,
although the intervention of the High Representative was necessary
in three Cantons: on 7 July 2004, the High Representative imposed
a primary and secondary education law in Canton 10 and amendments
to the existing laws in Central Bosnia and West Herzegovina Cantons.
What does the state level Framework
Law on Primary and Secondary Education concretely provide?
The Law establishes that every child has a right to access and
equal participation in the educational process as a basic educational
and human rights principle. It also states that the primacy in education
is on the rights of the child. Legislation entails the following
additional aspects:
- the duration of mandatory education is increased
to nine years starting in September 2004 at the latest;
- children with special needs are to be largely
educated in mainstream schools;
- certificates and diplomas issued by verified
educational facilities have equal status in the whole territory
of BiH;
In addition, the legislation
- is a basis for developing and adopting the Common
Core Curriculum, which seeks to facilitate full and free access
to schools anywhere in BiH, whose implementation started in September
2003;
- states that the educational process must contribute
to developing a sense of commitment towards the State of BiH;
- states that the languages of the three constituent
peoples enjoy equal status throughout the territory of BiH, as
guaranteed by the BiH Constitution, and re-affirmed by the BiH
Constitutional Court on 25 June 2004 (Download).
- Provides for the establishment of a Curriculum
Agency responsible for implementation, follow-up, evaluation,
improvement and further development of the Common Core Curriculum
and reiterates the existence of the Standards and Assessment Agency,
responsible for establishing standards of students’ achievement
as well as standards for performance assessment;
- Gives a significant role to school boards in
the areas that are relevant for improving education and ensures
that citizens participate in school boards;
- sets out that School Directors are to be appointed
by the School Board – in effect giving greater autonomy to schools;
and
- provides for the establishment of parents’ and
students’ councils with an advisory capacity.
- all primary schools have a catchment area, which
establishes that children will attend schools in their own communities.
This was placed in the law to eliminate the risk of children being
bussed to other schools based on ethnic criteria;
What are the roles and functions
of the School Boards?
One of the main innovations of the Framework Law on Primary and
Secondary Education was to establish school boards that function
according to the principle of participatory democracy, that are
as immune as possible to all forms of politicisation and whose proceedings
are based on clear rules of procedure and work in the interest of
all beneficiaries. School boards play an active and important role
in schools and have, with the education reform, been given greater
autonomy.
The school board is responsible for determination and implementation
of school policy, general management of school work and efficient
use of material and personnel resources. They establish school policy,
monitor implementation of the same and ensure that school resources
are used rationally. A school board is also responsible for the
appointment of school directors, which is a novelty because this
used to be the responsibility of the Ministry of Education.
Why is a modern BiH legislation on
higher education needed?
BiH is the only one out of all 40 Bologna process member countries
that has not yet adopted a modern higher education law which would
lead to a quality university education in BiH with degrees that
will be widely accepted throughout Europe. A modern law ensures
university autonomy, academic freedom, student and academic participation
in decision-making processes, student mobility, quality assurance,
fair recognition and lifelong learning. |
