Students, teachers, and educational workers have emphasized the need for increased participation in decision-making in high schools!
On May 22, 2024, through a public presentation and discussion, Genesis Project from Banja Luka launched the “Co-managed High Schools” project, an initiative aimed at transforming the decision-making process in high schools across the Western Balkans. The project aims to empower students and improve the quality of education by introducing a co-management model that involves students in key decision-making processes.
Traditional decision-making practices in high schools in the Western Balkans are mostly unilateral, dominated by school authorities, and often exclude students from significant participation. The “Co-managed High Schools” project seeks to change this by introducing a participatory co-management model that gives students a voice in decision-making processes.
“The ‘Co-managed High Schools’ project is a unique and innovative approach to education,” said Saša Šarić, project coordinator of Genesis Project. “By involving students in decision-making processes, we not only empower them to take responsibility for their education but also create a more inclusive and democratic school environment.”
The co-management model will be developed in collaboration with students, teachers, and the management of 10 high schools in North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia. The model will be piloted in these schools over the next two years with the aim of creating a more participatory and student-centered approach to education.
“We believe that the co-management model has the potential to transform education in the Western Balkans,” said Lejla Pehilj, representative of the Secondary Polytechnic School from Mostar. “By involving students in decision-making processes, they will be able to ‘practice’ democracy from an early age and contribute to the running of schools.”
The “Co-managed High Schools” project is implemented by the LEAD Association (MKD) in partnership with Genesis Project (BiH), the Youth Council of Kosovo (KS), the Youth Network of Montenegro (MNE), and the organization Connecting (SRB). The project is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program.