SARAJEVO, Sept 28 (Hina) - Education ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina's two entities have reached final agreement that both Latin and Cyrillic scripts will be taught in primary schools on the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Office
of the international community's High Representative to Bosnia (OHR) issued on Thursday a statement confirming that the Croat-Moslem Federation's Education Minister, Fahrudin Rizvanbegovic, and his deputy Ivo Miro Jovic, concluded an agreement with the Education Minister of the Republic of Srpska, Nenad Suzic, that the teaching of the other alphabet should begin in the second semester in the second class of elementary schools. According to their decision they made on September 26, the other letters will be taught within lessons of language and literature. As of the third class, at least 20 percent of texts should be done in the other alphabet. The
SARAJEVO, Sept 28 (Hina) - Education ministers of Bosnia-
Herzegovina's two entities have reached final agreement that both
Latin and Cyrillic scripts will be taught in primary schools on the
territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The Office of the international community's High Representative to
Bosnia (OHR) issued on Thursday a statement confirming that the
Croat-Moslem Federation's Education Minister, Fahrudin
Rizvanbegovic, and his deputy Ivo Miro Jovic, concluded an
agreement with the Education Minister of the Republic of Srpska,
Nenad Suzic, that the teaching of the other alphabet should begin in
the second semester in the second class of elementary schools.
According to their decision they made on September 26, the other
letters will be taught within lessons of language and literature.
As of the third class, at least 20 percent of texts should be done in
the other alphabet. The same practice will be applied in secondary
schools.
Pupils will be asked to use the other alphabet so that the
continuity of the practice and learning may be ensured, read the
OHR's statement.
The education ministers' agreement takes effect immediately, and
international officials will supervise its implementation.
The introduction of the respective Latin and Cyrillic letters as a
compulsory subject in primary and secondary schools is for the OHR a
key step in a process of developing a modern and tolerant schooling
system which has for too a long period been a captive of narrow
national interests.
To date three educational systems, based on national criteria, have
in effect functioned in Bosnia.
Under a framework agreement on the reform of the education in the
country, reached on 10 May this year, textbooks taken from Croatia
and Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro) in schools in Bosnian Croat-
and Serb-populated areas respectively, are in the process of
revision and adjustment to these educational regulations.
There are plans to introduce a subject on human and civil rights and
freedoms and a new subject referring the language, culture and
religion which should equally treat the tradition and heritage of
all three constitutional peoples: Croats, Moslems (Bosniaks) and
Serbs. UNESCO experts are giving assistance to Bosnian teachers in
these efforts.
(hina) ms