Sivro: KS Government is destroying education, the minister wants to know by name and surname who is striking

(Patria) - The president of the Independent Trade Union of Primary Education and Upbringing of KS, Saudin Sivro, along with other trade unionists, held a press conference on the occasion of the start of the strike in primary schools in KS, where the first two classes of lessons in the first and second shifts, as well as the inter-shift, will not be held. The trade union expects an invitation for talks with the KS Government and the relevant minister Naida Hota-Muminović (NIP).

Sivro stated that 15 percent of employees are not striking.

"Last time we went on strike with a smaller number. Parents who demand that we respect the convention must also demand it from the minister. We are fighting for workers' rights as well as for children's rights because they currently have unfair and poor-quality education," said Sivro.

He stated that the KS Government has not provided answers to the Trade Union's questions and the talk about salaries.

"We are not talking about salaries but about standards. We have just received an act from the Ministry, sent to the principals of primary schools, asking them to submit various documents, and this is an attempt to thwart the strike. Instead of the Ministry and the Government inviting us for talks, they are exerting pressure. The first day of the warning strike was successful, beyond our expectations," said Sivro.

He expressed gratitude to the parents who did not send their children to school this morning.

"Some principals have called parents to send their children to some schools, even though the majority of employees have declared for the strike. We call on the Government to come to its senses and invite us for talks," said Sivro.

On Friday, if that does not happen, they will make new decisions.

"We will make new decisions. Our decisions will be a new, harsher, and stronger response. There are 4,000 of us, we are educators, mostly highly educated. They have a semblance of power, no power or force can scare us. The pressures are enormous, and that's why we are happy that people have not buckled. This Government signed the collective agreement. We do not agree to our schools becoming daycare centers. We are supposed to educate children," said Sivro.

He spoke about how, according to the new pedagogical standards, there are employees who are technologically redundant.

"The KS Government is giving us a smokescreen. The minister said she would only respect the part about hiring psychologists. The public should know that pensioners and students in their final year are being hired en masse in schools. Those who accept do so because of small pensions. Let the prime minister take 2,000 KM and come to a classroom and teach a lesson. How much have they increased their own salaries? This is an enemy government. We have written down everything that is wrong. They say we will fix it as we go. The KS Government is destroying education. We did the same thing in 2014. We announced a strike for March 18th and delivered it to the gentlemen. Today, the minister is asking for lists to know who is striking. Well, she won't know," he said.

He stated that pedagogical standards are a smokescreen and that colleagues have also realized this.

"We have trade union committees in 70 schools, and we are very organized. School boards refuse to adopt pedagogical standards and to carry out job systematization. A list of 16 directors has already been compiled. We will stand behind these people because they respect the law. These standards cost 11 million KM unnecessarily. They want to hire their own people. Do you think they will hire people publicly through tenders? Maybe someone will slip through. If it is normal for the Ministry's secretary not to be a lawyer, then we have nothing more to discuss. I feel sorry for Mr. Abid Fejzić from the Ministry. It turns out that only I earn in education, only I in the trade union have a salary, in committees in the ESV. These people are not naive, and if I were to leave now, these people would tell you everything. I sleep peacefully, and the people in the Government should sleep restlessly. If I can convince thousands of people to go on strike, then they are in trouble.

When we get permission to use 18 square meters in the KS Government park, we will pitch a tent. The image will go out to the world: Sarajevo lives like France. Protests happen there. In Brussels, tires are set on fire, milk is spilled. In Sarajevo, you can't strike for two hours. People block the railway. We will not be silent, dear Government. We will be louder, and they will hear us beyond the borders of BiH," Sivro announced.

Amira Aganović from the Trade Union of Primary School "Avdo Smajlović" said that all employees in that school went on strike.

"I believe and hope that we will be united until the end. There are 1,040 students in Primary School "Avdo Smajlović", and a social worker is employed. The situation as it is, the structure of students, the Roma population, requires two social workers, and she wants to send that social worker to another school as well. Is it moral for my social worker to work in another school to get a salary? A psychologist should work in one school, and a social worker in two schools. Pedagogical standards are not good," she said.

Elma Valjevčić, a pedagogue at Primary School "Vladislav Skarić", also spoke about pedagogical standards.

"When analyzed in detail, we found that there are many irregularities and shortcomings. What is most problematic is that the entire educational process is carried out according to pedagogical standards. A 130-page document does not deserve to be adopted at an extraordinary electronic session, but at a regular one where all those concerned would participate, where questions could be asked. Someone should have given us answers to many questions that we did not receive. I understood the pedagogical standards because I am a pedagogue. But as a parent, many people do not understand some things. Any parent from another profession could not understand anything. What is the purpose of the speed of standards that offer nothing better?" said Valjevčić.