Parents of students at the "Boško Radulović" Elementary School in Komani have announced that they are "deeply concerned and unpleasantly surprised" by the decision to appoint Olivera Leković to the position of director of this educational institution, which is why they are requesting an urgent meeting with the Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Anđela Jakšić Stojanović.
"Ms. Dragana Radunović, who has served as acting director until now, was our joint and unique recommendation - not only because of her professional qualities, but also because of her deep understanding of the local environment. Her expertise, pedagogical approach and selfless dedication to our children and the school have brought about numerous positive changes: increased interest in school, successes in competitions, a richer extracurricular program, and special care for students from socially vulnerable groups," the letter states.
They add that Radunović's return from the private sector to the public education system, after many years, was motivated solely by her desire to contribute to the community.
"And in this, we, as parents and locals, personally encouraged her. We believe that her dedication and contribution to the school so far is the best indicator that she is the right choice for this position. We were additionally disturbed by the information that Ms. Leković confidently stated in front of some parents that 'the choice has already been made', referring to her personal connections with you and the members of the selection committee."
They state that if these allegations are true, they represent a "serious violation of the integrity of the competition procedure."
"We also have information that she obtained part of the mandatory documentation from the school where she previously worked almost a month after the official closing of the competition, which further casts doubt on the regularity of the entire procedure. In addition, we have information about other procedural irregularities that accompanied her selection. We are also concerned about the manner in which Ms. Leković communicated with the school staff when submitting the competition documentation - without introducing herself, despite a direct inquiry, with a pronounced dose of arrogance and disparagement. Such behavior, which is not appropriate for any candidate, let alone a future school leader, has caused a feeling of unease among employees and parents. Rural environments, such as ours, especially foster mutual respect and trust, and people who do not understand that context can hardly successfully run a school in such an environment."
In a letter to Jakšić Stojanović, the parents state that because of all the above, they are fully entitled to demand that the decision on the appointment be reviewed - both from a procedural and ethical standpoint.
"We also ask you to urgently receive us for an interview so that we can personally present you with documentation and other relevant evidence that supports our claims. If the opinion and will of 99 percent of the parents of the students who sign this letter are not respected, we will be forced to seriously consider withdrawing children from this school and enrolling them in other educational institutions. We believe that such a scenario would be extremely harmful and could lead to the closure of one of the oldest schools in Montenegro," the letter states.
Leković: The competition was conducted in accordance with applicable regulations
In an email sent to "Vijesti", Leković stated that the competition procedure for the selection of the director of the "Boško Radulović" Elementary School was conducted in accordance with applicable regulations, and that as a candidate, she believes in the professionalism and impartiality of the commission.
"I emphasize that up to this point, I have not been officially informed about the outcome of the competition. I understand the fear and concern of parents towards everything new, but I deeply believe that in this, as in many cases so far, practice will show that solutions based on professionalism, and not on unverified information, are good solutions. I fully respect the right of every citizen to express their opinion, but at the same time I believe that no candidate – including me – should be exposed to public accusations and abuse of media space without foundation. The protection of the integrity and dignity of every individual is guaranteed by law, and I am convinced that the competent institutions will respond adequately. My focus, as in the previous three decades, has been and remains on children – on their right to quality education, a safe environment and support in development. Since March 1995, I have been dedicated, in and out of the classroom, to improving the educational process and creating a school in which every child feels seen, respected and valued," said Leković.
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