Preparative meetings and Monitoring Groups meetings organised
in “Naum Veqilharxhi” and “Shkolla e Re” schools, in Korca
in the framework of AOb Project implementation

As planned, Preparative meetings and Monitoring Groups meetings were organised in both “Naum Veqilharxhi” and “Shkolla e Re” schools on 8 October 2014, with participation of representatives from both schools.

These meetings were preceded by anticipatory meetings, organised some days before them, aiming to take all the necessary measures, regarding the identification of situation, discussing Project objectives, activities to be organised, including preparations for these meetings, setting up Monitoring Groups and so on.

Headmasters, other representatives from school directories, heads of Monitoring Groups from both schools, as well as heads of FSASH and SPASH Korca Sections, taking part in these meetings, were informed about Project objectives and activities, organising measures to be taken and other aspects of Project implementation.

Special letters were prepared and distributed to Monitoring Groups leaders and each participant with the main concrete duties for them.

Questionnaires were also prepared to be filled in for each pupils dropped out or at risk to drop out from school, subject of this Project implementation.

Wide participation preparative meetings were organised first in both schools, participating working groups’ members, pupils, parents, schools headmasters, representatives from Roma associations etc.

Chairman of FSASH, Xhafer Dobrushi, opened the meetings in both schools and spoke about the commitment of FSASH and SPASH to mobilise teachers and support their work to keep pupils in school, to reduce school drop out, to prevent and eliminate child labour, mentioning also the experience they have gained, in other 4 schools in Korca, working in the framework of AOb Projects implementation, as well as in some other districts where they have worked concretely also supported by AOb, FNV, EI, ILO-IPEC etc.

Project Coordinator, Stavri Liko, made the presentation in both schools on Project objectives, activities to be organised, working program and approaches to be used during this Project implementation, mentioning also that this Project is a direct contribution of Dutch education trade union, AOb, giving also some information about AOb commitment in elimination of child labour in Albania and wider, in some other countries.

Heads of Monitoring Groups, Xhemlin Koleci, “Naum Veqilharxhi” school and Mimoza Beqirllari, “Shkolla e Re” school, spoke about actual situation in their respective schools, preparative measures and preparative work already done, including setting up Monitoring Groups, objectives for each school and each group, their commitment to work concretely for Project objectives realisation, as well as problems to be solved during Project implementation.

Both schools Headmasters, Albert Damjaneci, “Naum Veqilharxhi” school, and Romeo Rapo “Shkolla e Re” school, expressed their opinions about their respective schools situation, Project objectives and teachers commitment to work concretely in the framework of this Project implementation.

After discussions, proposals and suggestions from teachers, pupils and parents, the following objectives were approved for each school:

In “Naum Veqilharxhi” school: out of 18 pupils dropped out from school, most of them working, the objective is to withdraw from working and return to school at least 13 of them, as well as, out of 57 pupils at risk to drop out from school, the objective is to integrate in school at least 54 of them.

In “Shkolla e Re” school: out of 17 pupils dropped out from school, most of them working, the objective is to withdraw from working and return to school at least 12 of them, as well as, out of 76 pupils at risk to drop out from school, the objective is to integrate in school at least 71 of them.

Organisers were really satisfied with the work already done, especially in “Naum Veqilharxhi” school, where heads of Monitoring Groups reported that their work had started, mentioning namely pupils subject of this work and some progress already done.

Special meetings with Monitoring Groups’ members were orgnaised after that.

Four monitoring groups, composed of 5 members each, (3 teachers, 1 pupil, 1 parent), were set up in each school.
Teacher Xhemlin Koleci was nominated Head of Monitoring Groups in “Naum Veqilharxhi” school and teacher Mimoza Beqirllari was nominated Head of Monitoring Groups in “Shkolla e Re”  school.

In these first meetings was organised everything regarding Monitoring Groups functioning and concrete work to be organised in the framework of Project implementation.

In “Naum Veqilharxhi” school each Monitoring Group is responsible for 4-5 pupils dropped out and 14-15 pupils at risk to drop out from school.

In “Shkolla e Re”  school each Monitoring Group is responsible for 4-5 pupils dropped out and 18-19 pupils at risk to drop out from school,

Questionnaires were distributed to each teacher, member of these Groups, explaining everything regarding concrete individual work to be organised in the framework of Project implementation.
Working methods, individual plans, based on data gathered through filled in questionnaires and organising the individual concrete work with each of them, were also discussed in both meetings.

It was also mentioned the fact that this way of organisation is only for personal responsibility and coordination actions, because the work with pupils should be done jointly with all other teachers, their classmates, their parents, involving, when necessary, also other stakeholders.
Working program, objectives and role of Monitoring Groups were also subject of discussions in these meetings.

School materials were also distributed for 80 pupils from both schools.

Special ceremonies were organised in both schools, prior to Preparative meetings, in the presence of all participants, including schools headmasters, Albert Damjaneci and Romeo Rapo, both chairmen, Xhafer Dobrushi and Nevrus Kaptelli, and representatives from other organisations.

Each school handbag handled to 40 pupils from each school had inside more than 12 articles of school materials.

 
Participants and schools’ Headmasters, appreciated very much this support from AOb, for this Project, including the contribution for school materials for families which have problems in providing school materials for their children and expressed their commitment to work hard and realise Project objectives.

In the presence of more than 70 participants, (including Deputy Minister of Education and Sports, Nora Malaj, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare and Youth, Genta Sula, members of Parliament, other educational institutions and so on), in the Round Table organized in Tirana, on 3 October, on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day, we spoke also about AOb Projects, implemented in Korca and other districts, experience gained and effective collaboration with AOb, not only regarding keeping children in school and elimination of child labour, but also many other aspects of trade union activities.

Both Presidencies of FSASH and SPASH, express again their gratitude to AOb for this support, and ensure them that they will continue to work hard and realise this Project objectives.