OSCE HOSTED A CONFERENCE ON IMPROVING QUALITY OF SCHOOLS IN BOSNIA

MOSTAR, Bosnia (November 2,2007) - The OSCE Mission to Bosnia hosted the “Second Conference for Parents’ Councils from all Primary Schools in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton” in the Cultural Centre Mostar. The event sought to encourage greater parental involvement in the work and life of schools.

The conference, which was a follow-up to the Conference entitled “A Good School Is Built By Everyone” held last May, brought together parents and teachers from all primary schools in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, as well as school directors, representatives from the Herzegovina-Neretva Ministry of Education and representatives from the Pedagogical Institutes in Mostar.

The aims of the conference were severalfold: implementation of the Parent Council Manual for Primary and Secondary Schools; exchange of experiences and good practices in running schools; the work of the Parents-Teachers Councils (PTCs); and close cooperation between teachers and parents councils in the teaching and learning process.

The main issues discussed at the conference were how to improve the work of the PTCs, how to improve cooperation between the PTCs and the school management, and possible financing of PTCs.

“Parents have the right and duty to participate in all levels of decision-making. Today we continued our efforts to promote their active participation. Both parents and teachers reconfirmed their desire to improve the work and quality of schooling,” Sadeta Begtasevic, OSCE Education Officer said.

The conference was the first in a series of such events scheduled to take place this month in Grude, Trebinje, Foca and Mostar.