Activities organised in the framework of AOb Korca schools Project

November 2012

Monitoring Groups’ members meetings were organised in both “Nuci Naci” and “Ismail Qemali” schools in Korca, on the 2nd of November 2012.

24 participants, including monitoring Groups’ members, Headmaster, Stavri Camo, and Chairman of school board, Fatos Xhangolli, took part in “Nuci Naci” school meeting.
27 participants including teachers, pupils and parents, members of Monitoring Groups’ members, as well as school headmaster, Ylli Kreka, took part in “Ismail Qemali” school meeting.
The Chairman of FSASH, Xhafer Dobrushi, and the Head of Organising Department of SPASH, Nevrus Kaptelli took part in both meetings.

Heads of Monitoring Groups in “Nuci Naci” school, Sonela Mano, and Monitoring Groups in “Ismail Qemali” school, Thomaq Ninka, held reports on the work done, results achieved, problems faced and the main directions of their work during November and beyond.
Teachers Dhurata Gace, Marjana Cifligu, Eli Tona and Viktora Vllahu, in “Nuci Naci” school and Edlira Mitre, Altin Collaku, Adelina Nexhipi and Ardiana Mecollari, in “Ismail Qemali” school, spoke about pupils dropped out and at risk to drop out in their respective groups.
Pupils and parents, members of Monitoring Groups in both schools, as well as Xhafer and Nevrus, took also part in discussions and shared the opinions with teachers and other participants.

The preparative work has been effective and concrete individual work with all pupils subject of this project implementation has started well and the initial optimism is accompanied with first results in both schools:
In “Nuci Naci” school, out of 14 pupils dropped out from school, 1 of them is turned back and other 2 are expected to be returned, meanwhile out of 65 pupils at risk to drop out from school, 8 of them are attending the school regularly and other 2 have made some progress in attending the school.

In “Ismail Qemali” school, out of 18 pupils dropped out from school are turned back 2 of them and it is expected to be returned other 2, while out of 110 pupils at risk to drop out, 14 of them are attending the school regularly, being considered out of risk to drop out and other 4 have made progress in attending the school.

Members of monitoring groups spoke concretely, mentioning individual pupils by names, the work they have done, actual situation of each of them and the approaches they are going to use.
The basis for concrete individual work have been data gathered through individual questionnaires filled in during preparative work and individual plans prepared by teachers, members of monitoring groups, who are also working in close collaboration with all other teachers in both schools.

A direct positive impact has had the distribution of school materials for 80 pupils in both schools, thanks to financial support from this AOb project. Additional assistance was provided for some other pupils from FSASH and SPASH, as well as from teachers and pupils themsleves, according to the respective conditions in each class from both schools.

A special moment during these meetings in both schools was the information about AOb Congress and Leon van Gelder Prize.

The Project Coordinator, Stavri Liko, spoke about the main topic discussed in the Congress, (proffesionalisation of teaching staff), international workshop, discussions with massive participation of Congress delegates,  Leon van Gelder Prize, the additional financial support of 1000 EUR for both schools in Korca, thanks to the donation from the winner Andreas Schleicher, based on AOb colleagues recommendation.

Participants were also informed about the special contribution of the winner, Andreas Schleicher, to education in Europe and also in the Netherlands, as well as about his presentation in AOb Congress “What should we expect from 21st Century Education (Teacher)?”

Based on previous consultations with representatives from both schools and after discussions in these meetings, was decided that 14 families of pupils dropped out from school be assisted with a food package per month for a period of 4-5 months, providing some additional financial support also from both FSASH and SPASH, if needed, aiming all of those pupils be returned in the school.

It was agreed in both meetings to make all the necessary preparations and start this support from the 1st of December 2012, intending to continue until the end of the actual school year, beginning of June 2013.

In both meetings is was also discussed about the continuance of concrete individual work with respective pupils of each group, as well as about preparations for meetings with parents and the following meetings with Monitoring Groups’ members, to be organised in December.

Headmasters and all participants from both schools appreciated this support from AOb and forwarded their thankfulness to AOb for this contribution.