The High Representative and EU Special Representative, Miroslav Lajčák, today took part in the first meeting of the newly established Conference of Education Ministers in BiH. The Conference was established by the Memorandum of Understanding of 24 January 2008, signed by three Prime Ministers, Nikola Špirić, Milorad Dodik and Nedžad Branković as well as Mayor of Brčko District Mirsad Đapo.
“I hope that this Conference will function as an efficient mechanism for harmonising and coordination of the process of education reform at the state level and serve to define common priorities, strategies and policies of education”, High Representative and EU Special Representative Lajčák said.
There are two important issues which the High Representative and EU Special Representative believes should be the priority of the Conference’s work. First, stop the practice of discrimination in schools which is present in the form of “two schools under one roof” or through hidden assimilation which is still present in BiH. Another priority is the introduction of the European dimension and contents in schools and universities, which would enable students to learn more about the European Union in regular classes.
“When the Agency for Higher Education and Agency for Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education start working at the state level, and the Law on Vocational Secondary Education and Training is finally enacted, BiH will finally have a legal and institutional framework for education reform, harmonised with the requirements of the European partnership and modern European standards. Full harmonisation and implementation of education laws is the next step, which will require more effort and time than the enactment of the laws,” High Representative and EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajčák stressed in his speech.