OSCE Mission in Kosovo supports teacher education in multilingual environment

PRISHTINE/PRISTINA, 28 June 2010 - A training course organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo on new techniques in teaching and learning began today at the Faculty of Education in Prizren, part of Prishtine/Pristina University.

The five-day course will train more than 50 faculty staff. It is part of a two-year project financed by the Czech Government to support the education faculty to train primary and secondary school teachers and improve the quality of education, especially in other languages spoken in the community.

"If we want to increase access of all communities to higher education we have to ensure the quality professional development of primary and secondary school teachers as a prerequisite," said Francesco Bigagli, the head of the OSCE Mission's higher education unit.

The training is held in Bosnian, Turkish and Albanian languages and is led by experts from Dublin City University and the Croatian Teacher Training Agency. They will deliver lectures and conduct workshops on topics including intercultural communications and interactive teaching. Challenges in amending and implementing curriculum will also be addressed.

"This kind of training is enhancing our human capital and expanding our field of expertise," said Naser Mrasori, Vice-Rector of Prishtine/Pristina University. "There are more than 2,500 teachers delivering primary and secondary education in Prizren area alone and they will all eventually benefit from this effort."

Prizren faculty staff will start holding training sessions for primary and secondary school teachers in early November. They will be supported by the OSCE-sponsored Teacher Training Centre at the Faculty of Education in Prizren, which will be fully functional by the end of September.

In September, the experts from Ireland and Croatia will hold further training sessions focusing on teaching specific subjects such as mathematics and science. They will also train the staff that will run the Training Centre.

The training initiatives are part of the OSCE Mission's efforts to help ensure equal access to education for all communities living in Kosovo. The Mission first started supporting teacher education in community languages in 2008. Teacher Training Centres supported by the Mission are also to be established in Prishtine/Pristina, Gjakove/Dakovica and Gjilan/Gnjilane.