Protest of education workers in KS: 'The system has fallen, but the workers have not'

(Patria) - Dissatisfied and wronged candidates in the competitions for employment in primary and secondary schools of Sarajevo Canton gathered today in front of the KS Government building, demanding a complete revision of the competition process. They say the competition must be annulled and they send a message: "The system has fallen, but the workers have not."

Jelena Raišić spoke to N1, saying she is discriminated against because until three years ago she worked in education in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, then returned to Sarajevo where she works in a preschool institution. EMIS, like Lamija Vatreš Mehmedić, who shared her story on Novi dan this morning, does not recognize her work experience.

"As soon as I found out about the change in the rulebook, I came here to the ministry, I appealed for that controversial article in the rulebook to be changed, because I was scored based on my many years of experience in another entity. However, I came several times and was explicitly told that until that rulebook, i.e., that article, is changed, it will not happen. I contacted the Ombudsman for Human Rights, who after five months, because the ministry did not respond to this complaint and after an urgent request, responded on 22.10. and gave a recommendation, as well as an opinion that the controversial rulebook must be changed, that it is discrimination against candidates, that the ministry did not consult, and that it did not protect us candidates who gained experience in other entities in any way on this matter," Raišić stated for N1.

She points out that she has contacted the Ministry of Education, the Office for the Fight against Corruption, the KS Government, and inspections. She never received an answer from the authorities, but she did from the inspection - that they are not competent and that the employer should be contacted when discrimination is established.

"I really don't want to contact anyone anymore, because I assume that the employers' answer will be that they cannot protect us and that in fact the commission worked according to the rulebook. Regarding the controversial rulebook, I want to say that there are many inconsistencies, that candidates in various schools were scored in different ways. In some schools, they passed, even though they did not enter the correct graduation date, which is also controversial in this rulebook, because our documentation proves when we actually finished our school. Why did they create such a module that we have to enter any additional data, and the commission already verifies it, every member of the commission knows how to read what is written on our diplomas. It would be the same as if I had written, omitted one letter in my name - who will be believed, my ID card or what I entered manually. So, it is a, let's say, technical error, a slip-up that can happen to anyone, and we were rejected because of it. Even though I am currently employed, I was rejected because it turns out that my diploma is not valid, when in fact my diploma is valid," she emphasized.

Those gathered expect the competent minister, Naida Hota Muminović, to address them.

They plan to stay in front of the KS Government building until 3 PM. Hota Muminović stated at yesterday's press conference that the competition will not be annulled. On the other hand, the Deputy Minister of Human Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Duška Jurišić, said that the competition will be annulled because it is discriminatory, and an appeal will be submitted to the Constitutional Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. She also stated that many of the candidates will seek their rights through legal channels and expressed her support.