During the Round Table discussion on the Future of Civil Education in BiH, the attendees had a chance to find out more about this issue through the presentation of the regional report on civil education. The situation concerning the implementation of civil education in BiH was also discussed. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Institute for Youth Development KULT, by other NGOs and government organizations, as well as by professors of civil education.
The regional coordinator of the Helsinki Committee programme for human rights in RS, Mrs Vedrana Suboti?, presented the regional analysis and advocacy plan for Civil Education/ Democracy and Human Rights in West Balkans countries. The Round Table participants discussed the possibility of integrating formal and non-formal education to improve the current state of education in the region. Nihad Smaji?, professor from Meša Selimovi? High School in Tuzla, held a short lecture on improving and integrating the subject Civil Education/Democracy and Human Rights into other subjects of the education curriculum. He pointed out the example of good practice recorded in Tuzla, where the Association of Democracy Teachers formed an excellent partnership with the non-governmental sector. Mrs Ivana Kesi?, CIVITAS project manager, discussed the possibilities of introducing the subject of Civil Education into all BiH schools, which would be equal in all BiH, and harmonising the curricula of all BiH regions.
The conclusion of the Round Table is as follows: the pedagogical institutes and ministries have minimal cooperation, an issue on which work needs to be done. By establishing the work methodology and criteria for appointing Civil Education teachers, the teacher’s competence is bound to develop, which is an important aspect for the future of education. According to the objectives of the educational curricula, formal and non-formal competences are required if teachers wish to help develop the skills and attitudes of students. The most important conclusion of the Round Table was how civil society and the education system should supplement each other without excluding one another.
The Round Table was organized by the Helsinski Committee for Human Rights of BiH and the Helsinki Board of Republika Srpska on 27 September 2013 in Br?ko District.
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