Parents' Council demands accountability and measures after child goes missing from Kadifica kindergarten

The Parents' Council of the Public Institution „Djeca Sarajeva“ held an emergency session (on Wednesday, 30 November 2016) regarding the incident at the kindergarten „Kadifica“, from which, on 23 November 2016, as reported to the public, a boy left and was later found by a passerby. Based on information about the events at the „Kadifica“ kindergarten on 23 November 2016, the Parents' Council of the Public Institution „Djeca Sarajeva“ demands from the acting director, Jasmina Čongo, that, with the aim of establishing the factual situation regarding individual responsibility, within 10 days from the date of the announcement, she undertakes all necessary activities and makes appropriate decisions on disciplinary measures against all responsible persons, so that such or similar incidents do not recur, reports the Patria agency.

The Parents' Council maintains the position that, especially in cases of kindergartens that were not purpose-built for preschool education and care, all interested structures (parents of children, workers, the acting director and the Management Board of the Public Institution „Djeca Sarajevo“, local communities on whose territory the kindergartens are located, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth, the Government and the Assembly of Sarajevo Canton) must learn a lesson from this case and jointly approach the systemic resolution of the problem of insufficient material and staffing conditions for quality and uninterrupted educational work in all kindergartens of the Public Institution „Djeca Sarajeva“.

In this regard, the Parents' Council recommends to the acting director and the Management Board of the Public Institution „Djeca Sarajeva“, the municipalities, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth, the Government and the Assembly of Sarajevo Canton to view investment in kindergartens as an investment, and accordingly demands that additional financial resources be allocated for the renovation of outdoor and indoor spaces in kindergartens, yards, the purchase and installation of additional equipment that will ensure a higher level of child safety (bells, intercoms, video surveillance...).

The Parents' Council demands from the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton to immediately, and no later than within 10 days from the date of the announcement, make a decision on forming a three-member commission (one representative each from the Ministry, the Public Institution „Djeca Sarajeva“, and the Parents' Council of the Public Institution „Djeca Sarajevo“), whose task will be to collect all relevant information on the level of child safety in kindergartens within 90 days, conduct a tour of all facilities where educational work of the Public Institution „Djeca Sarajeva“ takes place, establish the factual situation, and propose measures to eliminate deficiencies. On behalf of all parents and for the benefit of the 2,563 children attending preschool institutions, the Parents' Council demands from workers in the kindergartens of the Public Institution „Djeca Sarajeva“, and especially from parents of children, strict compliance with the Program of safety and protective measures and protocols for action in risky situations in the kindergartens of the Public Institution “Djeca Sarajeva”, with special emphasis on respecting the rules and times for bringing and picking up children from kindergarten, constant supervision of children's movement in the kindergarten, constant locking of the kindergarten, and other measures prescribed by law.