"Positive" textbooks ready in time for the new school year in Bosnia
(OSCE)Students presented their winning projects at an OSCE Student Competition promoting education reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 23 April 2003. (OSCE) Photo details
SARAJEVO, 3 July, 2003- Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) will return to revised national subject textbooks in classrooms in September, thanks to the efforts of the re-established Textbook Review Commission this spring. The Commission, which has focused its work on the removal of inappropriate material from the national subject textbooks, concludes its work this week.
Although the OSCE has provided support and assistance in the Commission's work, the initiative to re-establish it came from the Entity Ministries of Education. Commission Members represent education authorities in both BiH entities, ministries and pedagogical institutes and schools.
The Commission was re-established in order to support further implementation of the Education Reform Strategy and the Interim agreement on the accommodation of specific needs and rights of returnee children.
"The Commission experts have approached their work in a very professional manner and have managed to complete a great amount of work," said Dr. Falk Pingel, OSCE Education Department director. "In certain cases, maps have been revised to accurately present Bosnia and Herzegovina and its entities.
"Additionally, some illustrations from textbooks were replaced with other illustrations that are not inappropriately labelling certain groups. The goal of these changes is to create a more positive learning environment for all students of Bosnia and Herzegovina."
In addition to removing inappropriate material, experts provided advice on how to ensure a more balanced coverage of all constituent peoples and to highlight the fact that BiH is the home country of the students.
Works remains to be done. The Commission found several textbooks published outside the country in use in BiH schools. This occurrence is in direct violation with several education agreements that the BiH Ministries of Education have committed themselves to implement. A letter has been sent out to the Ministers asking them to provide appropriate textbook material to be published within BiH as soon as possible.
And, in the coming phases of education reform, there is still a place for improvement of textbooks. In particular, agreement are still to be reached in several cases related to interpretation of contested historical events, particularly in recent history.
Although the OSCE has provided support and assistance in the Commission's work, the initiative to re-establish it came from the Entity Ministries of Education. Commission Members represent education authorities in both BiH entities, ministries and pedagogical institutes and schools.
The Commission was re-established in order to support further implementation of the Education Reform Strategy and the Interim agreement on the accommodation of specific needs and rights of returnee children.
"The Commission experts have approached their work in a very professional manner and have managed to complete a great amount of work," said Dr. Falk Pingel, OSCE Education Department director. "In certain cases, maps have been revised to accurately present Bosnia and Herzegovina and its entities.
"Additionally, some illustrations from textbooks were replaced with other illustrations that are not inappropriately labelling certain groups. The goal of these changes is to create a more positive learning environment for all students of Bosnia and Herzegovina."
In addition to removing inappropriate material, experts provided advice on how to ensure a more balanced coverage of all constituent peoples and to highlight the fact that BiH is the home country of the students.
Works remains to be done. The Commission found several textbooks published outside the country in use in BiH schools. This occurrence is in direct violation with several education agreements that the BiH Ministries of Education have committed themselves to implement. A letter has been sent out to the Ministers asking them to provide appropriate textbook material to be published within BiH as soon as possible.
And, in the coming phases of education reform, there is still a place for improvement of textbooks. In particular, agreement are still to be reached in several cases related to interpretation of contested historical events, particularly in recent history.