Ethnic segregation in education must be prevented, OSCE Minorities Commissioner urges policymakers in Skopje

SKOPJE, 30 January 2009 - The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), Knut Vollebaek, today warned the authorities in Skopje about the negative consequences that increasingly segregated education will have on the society.

"Creeping separation is, unfortunately, becoming a reality in the country. This is a worrisome trend and is a setback for your society. Segregation undermines the very basis on which your children learn to build a shared society," Vollebaek said during his visit to the country.

In his talks with the President, the Prime Minister and other high officials, as well as representatives of national minorities, Vollebaek focussed on the need for integrated education, the situation of the country's smaller ethnic communities and the implementation of minority-related legislation and court decisions.

"Your country has made headway in the past few years in some key areas of education, including mother-tongue tuition, the depoliticization of education and increased parental involvement in local municipalities. This progress should not be undercut by increased ethnic separation," he told the authorities.

The authorities, including the Prime Minister and the Education Minister, agreed to work closely with the HCNM to ensure that such separation be stopped and reversed.

Vollebaek also visited the municipalities of Kicevo and Tetovo as well as Struga where problematic inter-ethnic relations among students require particular attention. In addition, he discussed integrated education in a speech to students at the South East European University in Tetovo, as well as with a group of parliamentarians in Skopje.