MORE THAN A DOZEN SCHOOLS UNDER RECONSTRUCTION IN BARANJA

( Editorial: --> 5978 ) BELI MANASTIR, Oct 5 (Hina) - Fourteen primary and secondary schools in the eastern Croatian region of Baranja are currently under reconstruction, and are expected to be completed soon. An exception is the Beli Manastir Primary School which is to be reconstructed in the following year. The reconstruction will cost US$4.8 million, because after reintegration into the Croatian education system, the schools were found to be in a poor state, lacking materials and basic working conditions, head of the Osijek-Baranja County Education and Culture Office, Ksenija Zbozil, said on Monday. Zbozil on Monday held talks with Beli Manastir Mayor Simon Stupar about the course of the reconstruction, education and culture. "Everything must be done in order for life to be normalised in the Croatian Danube River region where many displaced persons have returned and still are," she said. Asked about the possibility that Serb teachers continue to ignore their responsibility to hold classes for Croatian students in the Croatian language, Zobzil said inspections will be intensified, and "if it is established that teachers are not fulfilling their obligation, inspectors will have the authority to issue reprimands or remove them from their posts". During recent days parents have signed petitions complaining that Serb teachers did not teach classes with Croatian children in Croatian. (hina) lml /mbr 051806 MET oct 98