Politics has ruled the whole society for a long time, and education is no exception, because rigid regimes do not suit educated citizens with ethical principles that they cannot manage, a professor from the University of Montenegro (UCG) assessed for "Vijesti". Biljana Maslovaric.
"The educational system rests on two important pillars - upbringing and education. When you have an educated man with ethical principles, you can hardly manage him. Rigid regimes and non-democratic societies correspond to intellectual and ethical neglect. We have shown it - Montenegrin society has a problem with knowledge. He also has a problem with education," said Maslovarić.
"Vijesti" published a questionnaire at the end of August, the aim of which was to examine citizens' views on how much politics endangers education in Montenegro, who is responsible for such a situation, and whether education laws are in the service of the parties in power.
241 citizens answered the questionnaire, and 201 believe that the education system is politicized, 33 that it is not, while seven have no opinion.
160 citizens believe that the education system is colored by politics through the laws that are passed, 47 assess that this is not the case, while 33 have no opinion.
The readers of "Vijesti" dominantly perceive the Ministry of Education as responsible for the influence of politics in educational institutions, as well as directors, school boards and teachers. 40 "Vijesti" readers believe that parents also contribute to such a situation.
Buying social peace, marginalizing professionals
"This situation has been going on since the 1990s, when there was a paradigm shift in all segments, and the education system absorbed itself and continued to live. And how lucky that he continued to live, instead he got the worst face there is," Professor Maslovarić told "Vijesta".
According to her, single-party eligibility returned as multi-party, which moved again to single-party - belonging to parties in power.
"In the 1990s, a parallel education system was created - private schools. "In the past, private lessons were typical for high school and only a few subjects and disciplines, but now children have supplementary private lessons from the first grade of elementary school," emphasizes Professor Maslovarić.
Her assumption is that social peace was preserved in this way.
"The fact that the salary in schools is low was compensated by turning a blind eye, in the way that parents paid some teachers to teach extra lessons. Children are sacrificed, because they spend eight hours at school, then they go to some preparation, then they are back at school, and when the PISA test comes, they don't know anything," Maslovarić points out.
She believes that private lessons should not be abolished, but that this area should be regulated.
"I am in favor of there being salary classes, clear criteria for teachers' salaries, to recognize people who know, who work hard, who give our children the best of themselves. I am in favor of private lessons being regulated by regulations. Whoever gives private lessons should pay taxes. If he works in a state school, he is not allowed to teach private lessons," says Maslovarić.
She assessed that many reasons led to umbrella educational institutions being "poisoned" by political cadres.
"And the experts were marginalized to the point where they were forced to leave the system. Why? Because the price was political suitability of the worst kind", explains Maslovarić.
Are there any purchased degrees in education?
Maslovarić warned that the story of purchased diplomas in the system, including the educational one, is not yet closed.
"NGOs announce that it is about 30.000 people who bought the paper. It sounded good when the minister (Anđela Jakšić Stojanović) said that they will deal with this scourge. She promised that diplomas in the education system will be checked. The answer to that question would be beneficial for society and security. The strength of the institution, and specifically of the minister, would be shown when this process was brought to an end. I would expect the minister to take that step and say: 'There are so many fake diplomas in the education system from pre-school to high school,' and let's see the repercussions of that," Professor Malovarić points out.
It is indicative, she believes, that this story has closed, or at least the epilogue is not known to the public.
"People, who are already working with purchased diplomas, need new such people in order to save their positions. By the time they get to the first ones who smuggled their diplomas, in the meantime, more have been received who are now serving as a shield", Maslovarić explained.
We have everything, but we apply nothing
Maslovarić reminds that the education reform was initiated in 2001, but that many ideas were never implemented.
"That process brought ideas about completely changing the educational system: to get a new face, to democratize, to decentralize. What was written in the Book of Changes more than 20 years ago is still relevant today. But behind us is a long period of disrespect for great ideas", says Maslovarić.
The situation is similar, he says, with the laws that are passed.
"The fact that we lack a law is less problematic than the fact that the ones we have are not applied. So, when it comes to the education system, we have classic Potemkin villages - we have school facilities, students, teachers, parents of the umbrella institution. We have everything, but the system doesn't work for us", said Maslovarić.
He emphasizes that the education system needs radical changes, because cosmetic changes are no longer enough.
"12 years ago, in 2012, an evaluation was done. Analyzing textbooks, teaching, class... The research was really extensive, and after those results cosmetic effects could have been applied, the system could have been fine-tuned, but the authorities at the time did not want to deal with it, so it did not happen," she says. .
Maslovarić believes that, with each new minister, the education system has been crowned.
"The former quality was slowly melting away, hope was lost... The Oktoih State Award was defiled for us. Now they are all the best teachers", emphasizes Professor Maslovarić.
When it comes to the culprits, she says, we go around in circles.
"If we ask the director, he will say that the teachers are to blame. If we ask the ministers, they will say that the directors are to blame. If we ask the parents, they will say that the teacher is to blame. And the situation is similar in the region. It is bad in all of Europe. But what is good in Europe? They have a solid education system even when problems arise. They fight for its quality, they constantly invest in people, changes so that the school meets the needs of society, children...", explains Maslovarić.
We can and must do better
According to Professor Maslovarić, reforms in Montenegro always start with preschool education.
"I claim that this segment of our education is the best. Just like the first cycle in primary schools. Everyone who deals with education knows that by the time we reach the second and third cycle of primary and secondary schools, we will have exhausted the momentum with which we started the reform. I am waiting for the day when a minister will be appointed who will start the education reform from the sixth grade of primary school and go towards high school. At some point, of course, the youngest should be included. They have the least amount of work," says Maslovarić.
She reminded that thousands of teachers, from Herceg Novi to Pljevlja, have undergone training for "Step by step" and the "Reading and writing for critical thinking" program.
"What did the state do then? The state expected that it would slip through the work of the civil sector, specifically the Pedagogical Center of Montenegro, and that things would be messed up that way," Maslovarić recalled.
He says that, nevertheless, he is optimistic that education will reach its rightful place.
"Where do I get my optimism from? Nothing is happening in Montenegro, which did not happen in other societies in the past. I know that we, as a small community, can change very quickly. When you speak truthfully with your colleagues, when you teach them something, when you give them some knowledge, when they trust you. They do not trust those who are at the head of the ministry, but are still afraid of them," concluded Maslovarić.
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