DEMOCRACY AS FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE FOR CHANGE IN SCHOOLS OF KOSOVO

EDISON (Experience Democracy in Schools Now) is a project financed by the Charitable Fund of Canton Zurich and implemented by the IPE Centre at Zurich University of Teacher Education in cooperation with KEC (Kosova Education Center) which will last until 2023. The project is implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and the respective municipalities.

The overall goals of the project are to strengthen democratic competences in schools in Kosovo, and promote and implement relevant developments at the schools on-site in accordance with participatory and democratic principles.

The ten schools participating undergo a 5-step democratic/participatory “learning on the job” development process (a combination of knowledge acquisition, practical application and reflection on practical experience). In so doing, concrete changes/adaptations or innovations at the schools will be initiated and achieved.

Between March and April, school teams underwent a series of workshop sessions as part of the first module of the professional development programme. This module focused on setting the agenda for change in schools, the first stepof the five steps for democratic change in schools. Workshops used hybridteaching, mainly providing an online learning space via Zoom, but also offering face-to-face sessions.

The first module was preceded by a launch event for the project that was held online on 25 March 2021. The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education, the municipalities, the school and other invitees.
Since then, the school teams have been working with all the stakeholders in the schools to analyse their needs in terms of democratic aspects that need to be dealt with in the future. Schools are provided with customised support from project experts through individual school visits and online meetings.
In the next workshop set to take place in autumn 2021, experiences will be shared and reflected upon, and the next “discussion and proposition”stepswill be prepared.

By Martin Retzl

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