OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities focuses on education during visit to Serbia

During her visit to Belgrade OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) on 28 and 29 August 2014, Astrid Thors took part in the presentation of a study co-financed by HCNM on teaching and learning the Serbian language as a non-mother tongue in South Serbia.

The study, Teaching and Learning the Serbian Language as a Non-Mother Tongue in Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa, was commissioned by the Co-ordination Body for these three municipalities and offers a series of recommendations to improve Serbian language proficiency in the region.

"Proficiency in the State language is essential for all members of society to participate in public life," said Thors. She was encouraged by the openness and co-operation of the parties involved and emphasized the importance of using this positive dynamic to launch practical measures to improve the situation.

On 28 August, Thors chaired the third meeting of the Stakeholders' Committee of the Bujanovac Department of the Subotica Faculty of Economics of the Novi Sad University, which was attended for the first time by Serbia’s new Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development Srđan Verbić.

"Challenging goals were set at our last meeting in January to ensure the Department's sustainability and I commend the important achievements realized since then thanks to the concerted efforts of all stakeholders ," Thors said. More than 300 students are enrolled in the bilingual degree programme at the Department.

During her meeting with Minister Verbić, Thors welcomed the initiative by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technical Development to introduce a pilot bilingual education scheme in selected municipalities in Serbia. The High Commissioner stressed the importance of protecting education in minority languages whilst taking active measures to avoid segregation.

Thors also held separate meetings with Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Roksanda Ninčić, Professor Zoran Stanković, President of the Co-ordination Body for the Municipalities of Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa, Dean Nenad Vunjak of the Subotica Faculty, Mayor Nagip Arifi of Bujanovac and newly-appointed Deputy Head of Mission of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Michael Uyehara.