[hr-education] "Positive" textbooks ready in time for the new school year in Bosnia

SARAJEVO, 3 July, 2003:  Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) will 
return to revised national subject textbooks in classrooms in September, 
thanks to the efforts of the re-established Textbook Review Commission this 
spring. The Commission, which has focused its work on the removal of 
inappropriate material from the national subject textbooks, concludes its 
work this week.

Although the OSCE has provided support and assistance in the Commission's 
work, the initiative to re-establish it came from the Entity Ministries of 
Education. Commission Members represent education authorities in both BiH 
entities, ministries and pedagogical institutes and schools.

The Commission was re-established in order to support further 
implementation of the Education Reform Strategy and the Interim agreement 
on the accommodation of specific needs and rights of returnee children.

"The Commission experts have approached their work in a very professional 
manner and have managed to complete a great amount of work," said Dr. Falk 
Pingel, OSCE Education Department director. "In certain cases, maps have 
been revised to accurately present Bosnia and Herzegovina and its entities.

"Additionally, some illustrations from textbooks were replaced with other 
illustrations that are not inappropriately labelling certain groups. The 
goal of these changes is to create a more positive learning environment for 
all students of Bosnia and Herzegovina."
In addition to removing inappropriate material, experts provided advice on 
how to ensure a more balanced coverage of all constituent peoples and to 
highlight the fact that BiH is the home country of the students.

Works remains to be done. The Commission found several textbooks published 
outside the country in use in BiH schools. This occurrence is in direct 
violation with several education agreements that the BiH Ministries of 
Education have committed themselves to implement. A letter has been sent 
out to the Ministers asking them to provide appropriate textbook material 
to be published within BiH as soon as possible.

And, in the coming phases of education reform, there is still a place for 
improvement of textbooks. In particular, agreement are still to be reached 
in several cases related to interpretation of contested historical events, 
particularly in recent history.


For further information, please contact:
Urdur Gunnarsdottir
Spokesperson
Press and Public Information
OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Obala Kulina Bana 20	
71000, Sarajevo
Bosnia and Herzegovina	
Tel.:+387-66 144 311 (mobile) +387-33 752 222
Fax:	+387-33 442 479
E-mail: urdurg@oscebih.org



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