Private preschools write to Nenadić, seeking support from KS Government

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The Association of Private Preschool Institutions of Sarajevo Canton sent a letter on Friday to the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton Mario Nenadić and the relevant minister of the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton Anis Krivić with a request for urgent measures to mitigate the crisis due to the spread of the coronavirus in BiH and neighboring countries, and the impact of the new situation on preschool education.

We are transmitting the letter in its entirety:

"We are addressing you on behalf of the Association of Private Preschool Institutions of Sarajevo Canton (UPPKS), founded in 2009. UPPKS is a professional organization of private preschool institutions that, in accordance with the Framework Law on Preschool Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Law on Preschool Education in Sarajevo Canton, perform activities of special social importance and currently includes 23 preschool institutions (http://vrtic.ba/). Our members provide accommodation, upbringing, and education services for 2670 children (according to the latest report from the Pedagogical Institute of KS) or 49% of the total number of children included in the comprehensive development program, and employ about 350 workers. All our members, preschool institutions, are registered in a special register of the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton and in the court register.

The reason we are contacting you is related to the situation concerning the dangers of the spread of the epidemic caused by the Coronavirus, which, like most of our economic entities, has indirectly and directly affected us. As you know, all preschool institutions received an Order from the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton on March 13 of this year to suspend the work of preschool institutions in Sarajevo Canton for a period of at least 15 days. We fear that this period will be longer, and all preschool institutions fear the consequences that will affect their financial operations. We are primarily thinking of the workers, as their most important resource, but also of fulfilling all other obligations that they must respect and fulfill as legal entities. Therefore, our goal is the same: to preserve jobs and maintain operations during and after this crisis. Workers in preschool institutions are mostly educators – preschool education professors, who, as professional staff, have been a deficit cadre for many years in Sarajevo Canton, as well as in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which represents an additional problem for each of our members. Unfortunately, preschool institutions are unable to organize online classes like primary schools, and since they generate their income exclusively from direct payments from users of their services, i.e., parents of children who attend their facilities, we are aware that due to the suspension of work, revenues will be drastically reduced or completely interrupted, which will jeopardize the payment of salaries to workers, the payment of contributions and taxes, as well as other current obligations, or generally jeopardize their business liquidity. We fear that the consequences will be very severe for our members, preschool institutions, and consequently for their workers. Unfortunately, our members do not have any additional financial support from the educational authorities in Sarajevo Canton, and in this current situation, like other economic entities, they are left to themselves. Therefore, we expect the Government of Sarajevo Canton and the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton to take concrete measures and legal procedures to protect the jobs of employees in the preschool education sector whose founders are individuals and other legal entities, or other activities aimed at reducing the damage that all our members will suffer due to the interruption of business activities.

Based on the Order to suspend the work of preschool institutions in Sarajevo Canton and extended stay in primary schools in KS, number 11-34-7669/20, our members – preschool institutions have suffered significant material damage due to the complete suspension of work not through their fault, and held an emergency meeting on March 17, 2020, at which they agreed on the following requests to the Government of Sarajevo Canton and the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of KS:

1. Adoption of a Decision on co-financing the stay for all children accommodated in preschool institutions – members of this association under the same conditions as co-financing the stay of children in public institutions, at least for the duration of the suspension of work of preschool institutions in accordance with the order of the competent authority of Sarajevo Canton;

2. In accordance with the Agreement on co-financing the stay of children in preschool institutions, pay the co-financing amount agreed upon with each preschool institution, in a three-month amount, in advance.

This association expects that the aforementioned requests will be considered as soon as possible at the next session of the Government of Sarajevo Canton, and that the Government and the relevant ministry will be receptive to employees and institutions that are of particular social importance as the first and basic level of upbringing and education in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sarajevo Canton."