OSCE applauds BiH education strategy presentation
(OSCE)Head of OSCE Mission to BiH, Ambassador Beecroft, applauded the document "Reforming Education to give BiH a better future." (OSCE) Photo details
SARAJEVO, 21 November 2002 - The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina applauds the BiH authorities' presentation of an Education Reform Agenda, to the Peace Implementation Council in Brussels today. The agenda, "Reforming Education to give BiH a better future" is a comprehensive document, listing goals for education reform and focusing on the action needed to realize those goals. It was presented by BiH Entity Education Ministers, the FBiH Deputy Minister and the Minister for Human Rights and Refugees.
The OSCE mission has played a co-ordination role in preparing the reform agenda. The bulk of the work has been done by six working groups, which bring together Bosnian and international education professionals. "We have been impressed and inspired by the commitment and energy shown by the working groups, over 80 percent of whose members are experts from within Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Ambassador Robert M. Beecroft, Head of the OSCE mission.
"This strategy encompasses and builds on all the reform efforts that have been undertaken and that are ongoing - including projects initiated and supported by the Entity Education Ministries, and those funded by the World Bank, the European Commission, Council of Europe, and bilateral donors. The strategy pulls all those initiatives together to form one integrated plan."
Ambassador Beecroft stressed that now with the strategy in place, the focus would move to implementing it: "I would like to see as much of this strategy as possible in place in time for the next school year. The paper outlines short-term goals that can and should be implemented as soon as possible. Realisation of these objectives will lay the foundation for further work on the medium and long-term goals. The only way to accomplish this,2 he said, "would be through the commitment and active support of dedicated and forward-looking professors, teachers, parents, administrators and political leaders in BiH".
For further information, please visit www.oscebih.org/education.
The OSCE mission has played a co-ordination role in preparing the reform agenda. The bulk of the work has been done by six working groups, which bring together Bosnian and international education professionals. "We have been impressed and inspired by the commitment and energy shown by the working groups, over 80 percent of whose members are experts from within Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Ambassador Robert M. Beecroft, Head of the OSCE mission.
"This strategy encompasses and builds on all the reform efforts that have been undertaken and that are ongoing - including projects initiated and supported by the Entity Education Ministries, and those funded by the World Bank, the European Commission, Council of Europe, and bilateral donors. The strategy pulls all those initiatives together to form one integrated plan."
Ambassador Beecroft stressed that now with the strategy in place, the focus would move to implementing it: "I would like to see as much of this strategy as possible in place in time for the next school year. The paper outlines short-term goals that can and should be implemented as soon as possible. Realisation of these objectives will lay the foundation for further work on the medium and long-term goals. The only way to accomplish this,2 he said, "would be through the commitment and active support of dedicated and forward-looking professors, teachers, parents, administrators and political leaders in BiH".
For further information, please visit www.oscebih.org/education.