Request submitted to the Ministry of Education and Science to annul the public competition for the employment of workers in primary and secondary schools

(Patria) - The public competition for the employment of workers in primary and secondary schools in Sarajevo Canton, conducted through the EMIS system, has caused a series of problems for both candidates and members of the competition commissions.

A significant number of applicants have submitted a request to the Ministry of Education and Science to annul the public competition, along with detailed justifications, including pointing out certain illegal procedures. According to information from the Trade Union of Primary Education, more than 10,000 complaints have been recorded, veteran rights of candidates are being rejected, diplomas based on which people have been working for years are not being recognized, and professional and academic qualifications are not being awarded points. Due to all these problems, it is expected that an urgent session of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly will be initiated on the topic of the school competition.

Applicants have provided the media with a list of key shortcomings of the competition and the technical system:

- Illegal transfer of authority to competition commissions,

- Non-recognition of work experience gained in other entities,

- Endangering the rights of the veteran population,

- Adjustment of the EMIS module after the competition closed,

- Illegal actions and instructions from the EMIS team,

- Non-recognition of valid documentation due to incorrectly entered dates in the module.

The EMIS system was not adequately tested (QA check), and the software was not sufficiently verified before being put into operation. Therefore, numerous technical deficiencies have directly misled candidates and increased the possibility of unintentional errors.

Examples of technical and procedural deficiencies, which you may not have been warned about:

- The system does not recognize the bar code on the birth certificate, even though the document is valid.

- Although the candidate has a valid pension statement, the system still requires manual entry of work experience and does not recognize it automatically.

- Non-recognition of experience from another entity, despite the Ombudsman's recommendation to amend the disputed article of the Rulebook.

- The system does not distinguish between the graduation date and the diploma issuance date, which can lead to the unjustified rejection of candidates.

Candidates are rejected even though they have entered valid diplomas and complete documentation, solely due to a technical or formalistic error in entering dates. A technical error cannot carry more weight than the original document.

The lack of adequate QA testing allows for the entry and saving of incorrect data, resulting in inconsistent and unfair treatment of candidates.

Illegal and discriminatory change of criteria in the middle of the competition (31.10.2025.), by deleting profiles related to the completed first cycle of Bologna studies for secondary schools, with the explanation that these profiles are "intended only for primary schools".

There are numerous problems, and teachers and professors are sending complaints to the Sarajevo Canton Administrative Inspection Authority as well.