For almost a decade, the women's department of the Madrasa "Gazi Isa-beg" from Novi Pazar has been operating illegally in Rožaje.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MPNI) replied to "Vijesta" that the department of that market school in Rožaje is not part of the educational system of Montenegro, nor is it financed from the budget of Montenegro.
That department, however, does not answer questions about whether and how it will react to the long-standing non-compliance with Montenegrin education laws.
Mufti of Sandzak Abdurrahman Kujević he told "Vijesti" that the Islamic community in Montenegro founded a department in Rožaje in 2015, and that "Islamic communities are autonomous in the work and creation of their educational institutions for the needs of their believers".
They work according to a "unique plan"
"We work according to the unique plan and program of all madrasas in the Balkans, the unique plan and program of the Rijaset of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina," says Kujević.
When asked by "Vijesti" whether the department in Rožaje has a license to work in Montenegro, Kujević says that Madrasahs function in a special way, within Islamic communities.
"Islamic communities are autonomous in the work and creation of their educational institutions for the needs of their believers", points out Kujević, adding that they are willing "to open the issue with official institutions, to create some model of cooperation with the Ministry".
He also claims that the work permit in Montenegro is "one of the open issues that will most likely be resolved between the Islamic communities in Serbia and Montenegro."
"Our madrasa in Pazar functions differently, if you asked if it is part of the education system in Serbia, they would probably tell you no," says Kujević.
The fact that they are not part of the educational systems of the countries in which they work does not prevent high school graduates from enrolling in secular faculties.
Kujević states that Madrasah diplomas are recognized everywhere in the world, and that graduates enroll in secular faculties "in these countries here, but also abroad."
He said that there are two classes in Rožaje, with approximately 10 students each, and that "the children work at a high level while respecting all pedagogical and didactic standards."
To the repeated question of the journalist to specify whether the department in Rožaj has a license to work in Montenegro, Kujević said that the answer "is not yes or no", that is, that "the story is broader".
They know of two religious schools
The Ministry said that the General Law on Education stipulates that "religious secondary schools that carry out publicly valid educational programs have the status of secondary schools", and that "public documents (diplomas) issued by institutions from paragraph 1 of this article are publicly valid and are considered for further education".
"Students who complete this level of education can continue their education at all public and private institutions of higher education," they state.
They specify, however, that the state knows about two religious secondary schools, but that the branch of the Pazar Madrasah in Rožaje is not among them.
"In accordance with the aforementioned provisions, students who complete secondary education in one of the two religious schools in Montenegro that have approved publicly valid educational programs can also enroll in higher education institutions under the same conditions as students who complete secondary education in public institutions ", they said from MPNI and add that a secondary religious school that carries out a publicly valid educational program can be financed from the budget of Montenegro under the same conditions that are prescribed for public institutions.
Programs valid, licenses questionable
The two religious schools in Montenegro that have approved publicly valid educational programs are the "Sveti Sava" Gymnasium in Podgorica and the "Mehmet Fatih" Madrasa from Tuza, but their work permits have both been questioned.
At the end of 2022, during the discussion at the Parliamentary Committee for Education, Science and Culture, the former Minister of Education Miomir Vojinović and his team announced that the Madrasa "Mehmed Fatih" does not have a license to work, and that for years they have not been able to fulfill the condition regarding licensed personnel.
The director of that religious school Amer ef. Shukurica then he told "Vijesta" that "Religious secondary school - Medresa 'Mehmed Fatih' implements the plan and program based on the Decision of the National Council for Education No. 04-5-1274 of 30 June 6, which establishes the validity and equal the value of the educational program of the Madrasa with the corresponding publicly valid educational program for general secondary education".
In the past three years, the license of the private Secondary Religious School "Sveti Sava" from Podgorica has been repeatedly questioned, as well as the fact that this institution is also financed from the state budget.
The school was licensed by the Ministry of Education at the beginning of 2022, headed by Mr Vesno Bratić, although the Government Zdravka Krivokapića at that time she was in a technical mandate.
The Center for Civic Education (CGO) repeatedly warned that the National Council did not exist in April 2022, because its mandate expired in September 2021.
According to the General Law on Education, an institution, in addition to the state or municipality, can be established by a domestic or foreign legal or private entity, if it meets the legal requirements.
A license for an educational institution, among other things, is obtained on the basis of the educational program, and becomes publicly valid when it is issued by the Ministry after approval by the National Council for Education as the competent authority.
In addition, the institution should have a sufficient number of students, provided educational, i.e. teaching and other professional staff, appropriate space, teaching aids, equipment..., provided funds for establishment and work,...
The relevant ministry did not answer the question of how much money was allocated from the budget for the "Sveti Sava" Gymnasium and the "Mehmet Fatih" Madrasah.
According to CGO data from March of this year, the state paid 2,2 million euros to the "Sveti Sava" Gymnasium and the "Mehmed Fatih" Madrasa in the previous three years.
Bonus video:
