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PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE OPENING OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN PRESEVO AND BUJANOVAC PUBLISHED

18. February 2010.

BUJANOVAC – Yesterday (February 18), representatives of the Center for Non-Violent Resistance (CNR) and Center for Education Policy (CEP) presented in Bujanovac preliminary results of institutions of higher learning in Presevo and Bujanovac.  The study is a result of a several months’ long research, which was conducted as part of the „Reform of Education Policy in South Serbia” project, which systemized the elements of education policy in Serbia and considered the experiences from the region, based on which the scenarios for future activities will be offered.  The purpose of the presentation, which is to collect comments through an open discussion that will be included in the final results of the study, was fully achieved.  All participants in the discussion said that they were extremely pleased with preliminary results and high professional qualities shown during preparation of the study.

The meeting was opened by Nenad Djurdjevic, Director of the Coordination Body’s Office, who pointed out that the undertaking of the study was one of the most important projects in 2010, and added: “The Coordination Body, in cooperation with the Center for Non-Violent Resistance, initiated the preparation of this study, since we had figured out that it was impossible to successfully open the faculties in Presevo and Bujanovac without  previously exploring all the possibilities, so that the job could be done in the best possible manner.  The Coordination Body and its President, Minister Milan Markovic, provided the funds, logistic support and experts for preparation of the study, and we shall remain dedicated to resolving the issue of education in Presevo and Bujanovac”. Mr. Djurdjevic said that the issue of primary and secondary education was of great importance, too, and that the Coordination Body was putting a great deal of effort in the field.  He underlined that the Serbian government was determined to open the faculties in Presevo and Bujanovac, and emphasized that there was no need to impose completion deadlines.

The preliminary results were presented by Jana Bacevic, PhD, the leader of the Center for Non-Violent Resistance and Center for Education Policies’ research team. These two establishments are non-governmental institutions involved in preparation of the study. She said that the final results would be presented in Belgrade on March 3, 2010, while the final draft of the study would include case studies from Macedonia, Montenegro and Vojvodina, as well as the comments made at a discussion held in Bujanovac.

Robert Schupp, from the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, said that the High Commissioner supported the solution of the issues of institutions of higher learning  in Presevo and Bujanovac and added that it was most important to provide good conditions for the education of all ethnic communities. He also expressed satisfaction with the thus-far work on the study and stressed that the OSCE was honored to participate in such a project. 

Radmila Maslarovic, a representative of the Fund for an Open Society, which also financially supported the conduct of the study, said that the Fund found great satisfaction in supporting such projects and added that it would carefully follow the remaining work on the study and implementation of the recommendations.  

Most of the comments made in a three- hour discussion had to do with the praises of preliminary results and with professional qualities of members of the team that worked on the study. 

Ragmi Mustafa, the president of the municipality of Presevo, said that the document was excellent, that it was very professionally done and that it was important now to await the final results.

Saip Kamberi, the president of the municipality of Bujanovac and Deputy President of the Coordination Body, pointed out that preliminary results were very well presented and added that upon obtaining the final results, it would be necessary to have a consensus on future steps.  

MP Riza Halimi also pointed out that the study was a well-made step and that it was important to solve problems both in primary and secondary education.   The study was financially supported by the Fund for an Open Society, the UK Department for International Development, the Balkan Trust for Democracy and the Coordination Body of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for the Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja.