Dilberović tried to blame the media for her failure: Minister, what about your resignation?

Written by: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

Minister of Education and Science of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Elvira Dilberović (SDA) tried to explain what happened during the award ceremony for the best students of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina when the best of the best were discriminated against, solely because they attend educational institutions Bosna Sema, writes Patria.

In her press release, Dilberović uttered so many illogical statements that she further cast doubt on the regularity of this event. Of course, in her reaction, Dilberović did not address the demands for her dismissal in a single sentence. We remind you that several prominent public figures, including director Danis Tanović, director Dino Mustafić, writer Ferida Duraković, journalist Sinan Alić and others, sent an open letter to the Minister of Education and Culture of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Elvira Dilberović demanding her resignation due to the disqualification of certain students in the decision on awarding recognition to the most successful.

The minister tried to explain, very haltingly, why the Olympians were omitted, explaining that „in 2015, as in previous years, the Federal Ministry of Education and Science, during the organization of the event „Knowledge into the Future“, awarded prizes to students for achievements at federal, state and international competitions, based on criteria prescribed in the Decision on adopting the spending program with criteria for the distribution of current transfer funds established by the Budget of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2015 for the Federal Ministry of Education and Science. The stated criteria for the event „Knowledge into the Future“ are: Awarding recognition to students and schools for achievements at federal, state and international competitions; Prizes for students for achievements at federal, state and international competitions.

- Therefore, students were awarded for achievements at federal, state and international competitions only in a specific subject (physics, mathematics, etc.), and prizes were not awarded for overall success in schooling, which means that the best physicist does not necessarily have to be the best student, because during schooling, in addition to physics, nearly 15 other subjects are studied, which may not be less important – the Ministry states.

And, since the Olympiad is one of the most highly valued international competitions, it is at least unclear whether all of the awardees, as the Ministry claims, are not so good in the other 15 subjects.

- It is evident that the Federal Ministry of Education and Science in the previous period awarded prizes to the best mathematicians, physicists, etc., and not to the best students for achievements in all subjects. Therefore, the media appearance of the student who carried out an „attack“ on this Ministry is considered highly unfair and inappropriate, even though as the best mathematician he received a prize from this Ministry: in 2013 in the amount of 1,300.00 KM, in 2014 in the amount of 1,300.00 KM, and also in 2015 in the amount of 2,000.00 KM. Therefore, the mentioned student has been awarded in the last three years a total amount of 4,600.00 KM, because he deserved it as a mathematician and we congratulate him again, but in this country there is still a considerable number of students who deserve awards as excellent and gifted students, and not only in one subject – the Ministry adds.

It is unbelievable that they accuse students of attacking the Ministry!? What kind of attack is not clarified in the statement, but it can be concluded that Dilberović wants to further politicize the case by dealing with only one student. Given his success, what you have given, Minister Dilberović, is too little and extremely tasteless to haggle over figures, as if you gave from your own pocket, and you did not!

Look, for example, at how they do it in neighboring countries, look, Minister, where those students are, what scholarships they receive for further education.

The Ministry states that they consider it at least unfair that some media and individuals have spoiled the joy of this year's awarded students and their parents for receiving awards for their excellence, humiliated them, and made them feel less valuable due to the alleged discrimination of certain students.

No one humiliated the awardees, nor did any media in the country name them or diminish their success. We are all proud of the best, but it is strange that the best of the best are not among the best. If it were a single case, as you state in the statement, your criterion could be accepted, but bypassing all the Olympiad winners is at least suspicious, or not to you!

And your justification that „the distribution of funds is carried out based on proposals from cantonal ministries responsible for education in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina“ is not enough. You, therefore, the Federal Ministry, award the prizes, so you are obliged to check the candidates, not shift the blame to lower levels of government.

Your statement is not enough; you did not say in it why you sent an invitation to one student and then verbally informed him not to come, because he would not receive recognition. It has also been established that there was no mistake regarding the school from which Bahrudin Trbalić comes. It has also been established that credible people expressed suspicion that you discriminated against students. It has also been established that you subsequently changed the lists, but it has not yet been loudly said that this was done because the students are from Bosna Sema.

It would be fair if you told us individually why the Olympians were not awarded, because international competitions are, as you yourself say, one of the more important criteria. Physics, mathematics are not the most important things in the world, but you should talk about the best future of this country with carefully chosen words, and not, as you accuse us, belittle their success!