Meetings with parents in “Shkolla e Re” and “Naum Veqilharxhi” schools

AOb Korca schools Project

Following Working Program implementation, meetings with parents were organised in “Shkolla e Re” and “Naum Veqilharxhi” schools, on 18 December 2014.
Around 67 parents, as well as teachers and pupils, members of Monitoring Groups, took part in both meetings.

Headmasters of both schools, Romeo Rapo and Albert Damianeci, as well as Chairman of SPASH, Nevrus Kaptelli, took also part in both meetings.

Heads of Monitoring Groups of respective schools, Mimoza Beqirllari and Xhemlin Koleci, held reports being focused especially on collaboration with parents and their role in turning children back to school and keeping all pupils in school.
They mentioned good examples of many parents, who have returned their children in school, after concrete work of teachers and classmate pupils with them, as well as problems with other parents, some of them even not accepting to take part in these meetings.

Teachers Eliberta Rrushi, Migena Thaka, Arta Meka and Esta Ballco, in “Shkolla e Re” and Headmaster Albert Damianeci and teachers Eleni Kocaqi, Luljeta Hoxhallari, Esmeralda Ryka and Eva Cenolli, in “Naum Veqilharxhi” school, spoke about their experience working with parents, results achieved, problems they are facing with some pupils and so on.

They also mentioned results achieved: 2 more pupils in “Shkolla e Re” and 4 more pupils in “Naum Veqilharxhi” school are withdrawn from working and returned to school, as well as 6 more pupils in “Shkolla e Re” and 9 more pupils in “Naum Veqilharxhi” school, are totally integrated to school, being considered out of risk to drop out from school.

Parents who took the floor, mentioned that difficult economic and financial situation of their families have constrained them to ask from their children to work and assist their families to survive. They also appreciated efforts of teachers and classmate pupils to collaborate with them and to support them to bring their children back to school.

In “Shkolla e Re” school, parents Brunilda Ibrahimi, mother of pupils Orgito and Florence Ibrahimi; Mirela Kosturi, mother of Suela and Anduena Kosturi; Olsi Merdiku, father of Paula Merdiku; Donika Merdiku, mother of Ronaldo Merdiku, spoke about their families difficulties as the main reason that their children had dropped out from school, but at the same time, they promised, that they will overcome these difficulties and will continue to bring their children in school.
Other parents, speaking in this meeting, mentioned their difficult economic and financial situation, as a problem for their children to attend the school, but many examples from teachers and other parents were told to them, trying to convince them that more than economic and financial situation, the mentality of parents is the main cause of children dropping out from school.

In “Naum Veqilharxhi” school, parents Shpresa Cardhaku, mother of pupils Nikolin and Kristian Cardhaku; Arben Latka, father of Marinela Latka; Vaso Hysen, father of Brunilda Hysen, Ela Mustafa, mother of Brajana Mustafa, Vera Rrushi, mother of Jani and Marie Rrushi, spoke about their situation, appreciated the work of teachers and pupils with their children and promised to bring their children regularly to school.

They appreciated the help for textbooks and other school materials, but at the same time they pointed out their economical and financial difficulties they are facing and asked for any support in finding any job or for any financial assistance.

Problem was the fact that some of the parents from children dropped out from school, who were invited to take part in both  meetings, didn’t come and a detailed program was elaborated with teachers and parents present, to work together, meet them and try to convince them to bring their children in school.

Speaking on behalf of both Albanian Education Trade Unions, Chairman of SPASH, Nevrus Kaptelli, appreciated the role of parents in bringing their children in school and asked for better collaboration among teachers, parents and pupils, also with community authorities, to make possible the realisation of Project objectives.

He also appreciated the assistance from AOb and promised that both SPASH and FSASH will also continue to contribute for textbooks, school materials and any modest financial help for families of some pupils dropped out from school, aiming to support teachers and pupils work to withdraw them from working and bring them back to school.

Special meetings were also organised with Monitoring Groups members in both schools, after these meetings discussing about lessons learned during this first phase of project implementation and preparations for activities which will be organised by the beginning of 2015 regarding this Project implementation.