Activities organised in the framework of AOb Project

in “Asdreni” and “Naim Frasheri” schools in Korca

An important Seminar and  massive cultural and sportive activities were organised in both schools in Korca, on 28 and 29 April 2011.

46 participants; all teachers pupils and parents, monitoring groups’ members, headmasters from both selected schools, (Asdreni and Naim Frasheri), trade union leaders from other 4 schools (Sheqeras, Pojan, “Naum Veqilharxhi”, and “Nuci Naci” where we intend to use the same approach, took part in the Seminar.

The Chairman of FSASH, Xhafer Dobrushi, the Head of Organising Department of SPASH, Nevruz Kaptelli, and the representative from Korca Regional Educational Directorate, Kostika Kapedani, also attended the Seminar.

The Seminar was organised in three different sessions.

First Session was focused on theoretical training and explanations  on:

1. International standards and national legislation on prevention and elimination of child labour, elements of Child Labour Monitoring System, good practices and lessons learned in prevention and elimination of child labour in Albania.
2. SCREAM package - “Supporting Children’s Rights through Education, Arts and  Media”: how can teachers / trade union members raise awareness of children against child labour and how teachers can use SCREAM in their daily work
3. Non-Formal Education Manual, Teaching methodology and learner-centered approach, learning styles, learner attributes and the related teaching approaches, and so on.

Theoretical explanations by Xhafer Dobrushi, Kostika Kapedani and Stavri Liko were followed by concrete discussions about the situation in participating schools and in Korca schools in general.

Second Session was focused on concrete situation of Project implementation.
Heads of Monitoring Groups, Martha Xharo, ("Asdreni" school) and Milinda Tona, ("Naim Frasheri" school),  held detailed reports on the work done, problems faced, progress done and duties to be followed in continuance of Project implementation.

Concrete discussions were made, on actual situation regarding school dropout and child labour elimination, being focused especially on project objectives for each school, each Monitoring Groups and each pupil subject of Project activities.

Teachers Irena Vreto, Mevlude Isallari, Ylli Kreka, Juliana Dhimitri, Alma Shyle, explained the actual situation mentioning individually pupils turned back in school, those who are out of risk to drop out from school and those who they are still working with to be returned to school.  

Pupils Ervin Sinani, Jehona Qemali, Elidiona Islami and parents Miranda Rusi, Tatjana Frasheri, spoke about their work in the framework of Monitoring Groups, giving concrete examples of their impact speaking about individual pupils.

The conclusion was that the situation is being improved.

In “Asdreni” School,
out of 28 pupils dropped out, 11 are turned back in school and other 4 are expected to come, while the work is continuing with other 13 pupils remaining problem for this school year.
Evident progress is also made regarding pupils at risk to drop out from school. Out of 180 at the beginning of the Project implementation, in the seminar were reported 92 pupils out of risk to drop out from school, attending it regularly and making progress in school performance.

In “Naim Frasheri” School,
out of 61 pupils dropped out, 20 are turned back in school and other 8 are expected to come, while the work is continuing with other 33 pupils remaining problem for this school year.
Evident progress is also made regarding pupils at risk to drop out from school. Out of 240 at the beginning of the Project implementation, in the seminar were reported 126 pupils out of risk to drop out from school, attending it regularly and making progress in school performance..

It was agreed, also through a concrete action plan approved during this session, that teachers, pupils and parents committed to the Monitoring Groups should continue the concrete work with all of them and their parents, aiming to bring them back in school as soon as possible.

Third Session was focused on a discussion about the main elements of the Guidelines we are going to prepare.
Based on a concrete questionnaire filled in by all the participants, before the seminar, this session was at the same time an example how to change experience between both schools and among the Monitoring Groups members, on working methods, approaches used, results achieved and so on.
Providing all the detailed data about pupils dropped out or at risk to drop out from school, detailed plans and effective individual work with each of them, collaboration with school administration, pupils and parents, were some of the most important elements identified by the participants who took the floor during this session.
After this session, we have more materials and a clearer picture of the Guidelines to be prepared.

Various Cultural and sportive activities were also organised during those days, with participation of pupils from those dropped out or at risk to drop out and being integrated in school, as well as their classmates from both schools.

More than 95 pupils, most of them from those selected to work in the framework of the Project implementation took part in more than 10 sportive and cultural disciplines, including football, volleyball, athletic, popular games, singing, dancing, recitation, painting and so on.

All the 24 teachers engaged in Project implementation and especially teachers of physical education and music, were the organisers of these activities, supported by the headmasters of the schools and leaders of both our trade unions.

Some of the activities were organised in the form of competitions between the two schools, announcing the winners by special commissions composed of teachers and pupils.
Pupil Esmeralda Alushi was the best among all the others wining the first place in running sports, followed by many others like Kristela Jargavani, Elidiona Islami, Jehona Qemali, Franko Carcani, Donald Bajrami, Anxhela Topi, Fatjona Dervishi, Ardit Miroshi, Briselda Karafili, Mersin Barci, Emiliano Broka, Ergen Lame and so on, who were through the best pupils in artistic and sportive activities.

It was important that the organisation of these activities was taken very seriously by the teachers engaged and these activities were an example also for the administrations of the schools and Regional Educational Directorate

Many thanks were expressed during the Seminar all other activities towards AOb, Secondary Education, for this concrete support, making possible all of these activities and results.