Will classes begin for Serbian children?

Serbian Press Agency SRNA, Bijeljina, 23-09-2005 10:56:52

Kosovo Polje - The Council of Aca Marovic Primary School from Kosovo Polje and Coordinating Center for Kosovo and Metohija municipal administrator Sladjana Denic today asked for an answer from the appropriate institutions in Serbia to the question whether on Monday, September 26, classes in Serbian are to begin for 138 students in the St. Sava Educational Center in the village of Bresje near Kosovo Polje.

In a letter to Serbian education minister Slobodan Vuksanovic, prime minister Vojislav Kostunica, president Boris Tadic and Coordinating Center for Kosovo and Metohija president Sanda Raskovic-Ivic, they also asked the question whether classes would be organized in basements and private houses in accordance with the position of representatives of the Ministry of Education at a meeting in Gracanica a few days ago.

At a gathering of parents and students of the two primary and one secondary school housed in the St. Sava building, representatives of the Serbian Ministry of Education promised to inform the school directors and respective school boards by today where and how classes would be organized if the decree of the civil administrator of Kosovo proclaiming the educational center a multiethnic institution remains in effect.

"The parents have decided not to send their children to St. Sava School as long as there are Albanian students attending classes there and the highest representatives of Serbian state institutions, the Coordinating Center and the Ministry of Education are aware of this," said Denic.

Because of "the undefined policy and position of the Ministry of Education with respect to the beginning of Serbian language classes in Aca Marovic and Vuk Karadzic schools in the St. Sava building, most parents have already asked for transfer papers in order to enroll their children in other primary schools in central Kosovo," she added.

Today is the 22nd day of the 2005/06 school year but no child of Serbian nationality has yet entered the classroom even though instructors, professors, teachers and directors are at work every day.

The parents have made their decision because they do not want their children attending classes in the same building with Albanian students who are being instructed, they emphasize, by former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army.