Elementary school "Mileva Lajović Lalatović" from Nikšić has the second largest number of Roma students in Montenegro. They are particularly proud of the results in the part of inclusive education in this school year, because none of the 163 pupils of the RE population dropped out of school.
"It is the end of the first semester, and not a single child has left school and a significantly smaller number of students are ungraded compared to previous school years," said Nada Mitrović, a pedagogue at Elementary School "Mileva Lajović Lalatović".
The speech therapist at the school, Irena Vasiljević, says that in order for everything to function, the school must be well organized, and in order to be well organized, the work must be a team effort.
The team that makes sure to lead Roma children on the right path is led by a pedagogue, a psychologist and a speech therapist. Since 2002, they have been implementing inclusion - remedial classes, visits to parents and aid actions are just some of the regular activities.
"We are very satisfied because our children are very aware and very present in everything, and we have the impression that the main obstacles to attending classes are fewer and fewer. In order to reduce these obstacles, we have organized various humanitarian actions here to provided help to the children, because this is the main reason for not attending classes," says Vasiljević.
Mitrović says that there are difficulties, but there is also a lot of joy.
"We have great children. We have them who go to competitions, they are involved in various sections," says Mitrović.
Nardi and Melinda are good students and members of the student parliament. They say that they know many Roma children who do not go to school, but that they have come to love their school duties thanks to the teachers who support them in everything.
"When I finish the 9th grade, I plan to enroll in trade technician, where I can finish it for a short time and then work. Or I will enroll in the faculty to become a teacher or a social worker," says student Nardi Ahmetović.
"I like healthy lifestyles, mathematics, geography, chemistry the most," said student Melinda Berisha.
The most musical student is successful in the regional music competition.
"School comes first for me, then singing. I'm a good student, I come to school regularly, I was just a little absent when I was in Belgrade," says Ismail Delija.
The difference in approach to school duties is also visible among parents.
"They know their rights, they know who to turn to, to ask for support. And I think that shows progress," says Vasiljević.
The school says that their overall work is supported by numerous municipal recognitions, as well as the Oktoih state award, but that they are most proud of erasing differences.
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