OSCE Mission to Skopje supports mediation training in remote village of Urvic

SKOPJE, 27 December 2005 - Improving communication between school management and parents, and raising public awareness on the decentralization of education in rural communities was the aim of a series of OSCE workshops that concluded in the remote village of Urvic, near Tetovo.

The OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje was requested, by school management and parents, to provide training on resolving issues through mediation.

"It is extremely important to target populations from remote areas with this type of activity," said Axelle Mollet, an OSCE Mission Education Development Officer. "This sort of training will contribute to the peaceful and harmonious development of the society, help respect the ethnic identity and interests of all citizens, and prevent possible future conflicts in the Urvic school."

The OSCE Mission offered its assistance after the dissolution of the Parents Council, the School Board and a boycott of the school, as a result of which children did not attend classes for 45 days. This contributed to an unhealthy atmosphere in the village.

Forty-five parents of different ethnic backgrounds took part in the workshops, which were also supported by the Education Ministry, the Association for Care and Education of Children from Kumanovo.

Trainers from the Association and experts from the OSCE Mission's Confidence Building and Public Administration Reform Units discussed the existing legal channels to help prevent or resolve conflicts within the school. It was stressed that the best instruments for finding a common ground are efficiently functioning Parents Councils and School Boards.

Muhadin Setai, a former member of the Parents Council, said: "Thanks to the OSCE Mission's attention, we no longer feel neglected."

More training courses on mediation and communication skills for school management, parents and teachers will be held in 2006.