OSCE Mission to Skopje organizes discussions across the country on education and decentralization

SKOPJE, 14 October 2006 - Improving rural children's access to education, increasing parents' participation in decision-making and improving relations among stakeholders involved in education were some recommendations from participants in OSCE Mission-supported roundtable discussions across the country, the last of which was held in Skopje today.

Participants also suggested that education be de-politicized and that financing of schools be decentralized.

The meetings, organized by the Ministry of Education and Science and the Association of Local Self-Government Units with the support of the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, were held over the last five months in Strumica, Kumanovo, Bitola, Tetovo, Kocani, Veles, Ohrid and Skopje.

"The interest in the topic was very high and the discussions resulted in concrete suggestions that now can be acted on by education stakeholders, such as parents, community leaders and municipal governments," said Alenka Verbole, Education Development Co-ordinator within the OSCE Mission.

Jovan Ananiev, an expert who helped organize the discussions, said that they provided an opportunity for everyone involved in the process of decentralizing education to equip themselves with basic knowledge of their rights and responsibilities.

"The meetings also gave them an opportunity to outline the areas that need to be addressed in the future and empowered them to actively participate in the decision-making process," he said. "They also encouraged participants to strengthen inter-ethnic dialogue within their own communities."

The OSCE Mission distributed its brochure "Education and Decentralization" during the meetings.