Programme promotes better education for children of all abilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
(OSCE)Head of OSCE Mission to BiH, Ambassador Beecroft, applauded the document "Reforming Education to give BiH a better future." (OSCE) Photo details
SARAJEVO, 28 May 2003 - Highly-skilled teachers, quality learning materials and the introduction of new teaching methods are some of the achievements of a three-year collaborative programme between the governments of Finland and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
These are among the main results of the joint Teacher Education and Professional Development (TEPD) programme announced at the start of a three-day conference on inclusive education in Sarajevo, which promotes the aim of a better education for children of all abilities.
Ambassador Robert M. Beecroft, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, praised the TEPD project during his opening remarks at the conference. "It is our hope that the teachers trained in this programme will contribute to the further development of inclusive classrooms for special needs children in schools throughout BiH", he said.
The TEPD has provided intensive teacher training in inclusive education in what is a relatively new field in BiH. Well-trained professionals are essential to its success. Under inclusive education, children with special needs are no longer sent to special education schools or residential institutions. They learn in regular schools, side-by-side with all other children.
"The purpose of the TEPD has been to enable a core group of teacher-educators to develop theirs skills in initial teacher education and support BiH professional development needs", said Peter Gam, Team Leader of the TEPD. "We now have a substantial cadre of skilled and motivated teacher educators, who can work for education reform."
The TEPD programme reflects the commitments set within the BiH Education Reform Agenda, which specifically outlines the implementation of a teacher training programme for children with special needs.
To date, TEPD has provided training in inclusive education to 75 teachers, school pedagogues and teacher-educators. In addition, 14 students will receive a Masters of Inclusive and Individualised Teaching at Sarajevo University this year.
All BiH teacher education institutes, faculties of philosophy, departments and academies of education were involved in the endeavour. As a result, a network has been established between 13 Teacher Training Units throughout BiH and an Education Resource Development Centre has been set-up in the Faculty of Philosophy at Sarajevo University.
These are among the main results of the joint Teacher Education and Professional Development (TEPD) programme announced at the start of a three-day conference on inclusive education in Sarajevo, which promotes the aim of a better education for children of all abilities.
Ambassador Robert M. Beecroft, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, praised the TEPD project during his opening remarks at the conference. "It is our hope that the teachers trained in this programme will contribute to the further development of inclusive classrooms for special needs children in schools throughout BiH", he said.
The TEPD has provided intensive teacher training in inclusive education in what is a relatively new field in BiH. Well-trained professionals are essential to its success. Under inclusive education, children with special needs are no longer sent to special education schools or residential institutions. They learn in regular schools, side-by-side with all other children.
"The purpose of the TEPD has been to enable a core group of teacher-educators to develop theirs skills in initial teacher education and support BiH professional development needs", said Peter Gam, Team Leader of the TEPD. "We now have a substantial cadre of skilled and motivated teacher educators, who can work for education reform."
The TEPD programme reflects the commitments set within the BiH Education Reform Agenda, which specifically outlines the implementation of a teacher training programme for children with special needs.
To date, TEPD has provided training in inclusive education to 75 teachers, school pedagogues and teacher-educators. In addition, 14 students will receive a Masters of Inclusive and Individualised Teaching at Sarajevo University this year.
All BiH teacher education institutes, faculties of philosophy, departments and academies of education were involved in the endeavour. As a result, a network has been established between 13 Teacher Training Units throughout BiH and an Education Resource Development Centre has been set-up in the Faculty of Philosophy at Sarajevo University.