Education that does not deepen social inequalities, but rather provides children with equal opportunities for success and prepares them for the labor market, is one of the key tools for breaking the cycle of poverty, agree Snežana Kaluđerović from the Center for Civic Education and entrepreneur Almir Tahiri.
Kaluđerović told the MINA Agency that the socioeconomic status of the family, which, among other things, includes the parents' education, their occupation, financial capabilities, and cultural resources, influences how and under what conditions the child will be educated.
She pointed out that children who grow up with parents who value formal and lifelong education often have greater opportunities to acquire additional skills and competencies that may later be important for their professional development and future activities.
Kaluđerović pointed out that children who grow up in difficult financial circumstances can also be successful.
"We often witness successful life stories that have resulted in great people emerging from the most difficult and humble living conditions, who have progressed and succeeded, and whose only support was formal education," Kaluđerović emphasized.
One such example is Tahiri, who, despite the challenges, graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences in Podgorica and the Faculty of Management in Herceg Novi, and is today successfully building an entrepreneurial career.
Tahiri told the MINA Agency that there were many obstacles and challenges during primary and secondary education, for several reasons.
"One of the main reasons is that Herceg Novi is a small community. If you are a minority in such an environment, especially if you are in primary or secondary school and there are only a few of you, everyone knows you and you will be immediately labeled. It is not just because of your skin color, but also because of other things," said Tahiri.
He stated that children from families of lower economic status can also be subject to ridicule and discrimination by their peers.
"During my primary and secondary education, I faced discrimination. There were also friends of mine who were of non-Roma ethnicity who were also discriminated against," said Tahiri.
He pointed out that he never even considered dropping out of school because of this, but that he did think about changing schools.
Answering the question of what motivated him to continue, despite the difficulties, Tahiri said that even as a child he had a goal of graduating from college, although at that age, eight or nine, he didn't really understand what that meant.
"But someone told me that it was something big and that it needed to be finished. The other thing that motivated me was the desire to provide myself with better opportunities and the possibility for a better and dignified life through education, which I believe we all should have," Tahiri emphasized.
When asked how she assessed inclusive education policies in Montenegro, Kaluđerović responded that significant progress has been recorded in the legislative framework in the last 20 years and that the aim is to integrate all children into the formal education system, as well as to make certain non-formal education available to them, as much as possible.
"The role of the teacher is important in this process. It is the teacher who must give full attention to each student. In overcrowded classrooms, especially in urban areas, this is almost impossible," said Kaluđerović.
She pointed out that, on the other hand, teachers in rural areas or small towns have very limited opportunities and significantly fewer resources compared to teachers in primary and secondary schools in Podgorica.
Kaluđerović said that regional differences are noticeable in both curricular and extracurricular opportunities. As she stated, children in remote places are often excluded from extracurricular activities, which is why complete equality is not possible in practice, but the goal is to reduce the differences as much as possible.
She also pointed out that in the moment of digitalization and the increasing availability of the internet and social networks, an image is created, or rather the illusion of a perfect lifestyle, which often creates strong mental pressure on students.
Responding to the same question, how he assesses inclusive education policies in the country, Tahiri said that progress is being made and added that today, compared to 2012 when he enrolled in college, many more young people from the Roma community are enrolling and graduating from college.
He emphasized that there is certainly potential in the Roma community, stating that a large number of Roma children speak two or three languages and that they quickly acquire knowledge, it is just that their talent needs to be recognized and wisely directed.
Tahiri said that he had the support of the Ministry during his education and that he received scholarships during his high school and college education, which meant a lot to him.
When asked when he first realized that education was the solution and key to a more prosperous future, he replied that it was during high school.
"You'll probably ask me now - was the education worth it? For me, it was, I think I paid for my degrees, and I'm not thinking about money at all. I'm thinking about other moments, other experiences," Tahiri said.
He believes that the focus should be on entrepreneurship, which, as he pointed out, children should learn about as early as elementary school, because it does not only mean running a company, but also developing independence and responsibility in life.
According to Tahiri, today we rely too much on a system in which the state is expected to provide a job after school, which creates dependence on the state.
As he said, instead, we need to teach young people to be more independent, while the state needs to provide the framework and conditions in which entrepreneurship can develop.
Asked if there were any concerns about how his business would develop and whether it would succeed, Tahiri said that he initially did not know how to do business and that he started with a large deficit for the first two years.
"However, I learned quickly. I started really bravely and I knew there would be moments like that, but I was determined to persevere. And if I could turn back time, I would do it all over again," Tahiri pointed out.
When asked whether she believes the Montenegrin education system really prepares young people for the labor market, Kaluđerović answered in the negative.
She stated that the education system is still largely theoretical in nature and that its mismatch with the labor market has caused young people to leave the country.
Kaluđerović added that, according to the findings of a survey conducted by the Education Union, only 4,7 percent of young people are interested in the teaching profession.
She agrees that young people should dare to become entrepreneurs, without any fear.
"Even if they make a mistake on the first and second steps, on the third they will be on the right path," Kaluđerović pointed out.
She also said that there must be no room for politics in the education sector, because "we will have constant segregation, discrimination and inequalities on various other grounds."
"I think it is very important that the educational framework moves from theoretical, from abstract to something that is alive, which is the essence, because the system of life is completely different now than it was five years ago, let alone 20 or 50 years ago," added Kaluđerović.
According to her, it is crucial to put the student back at the center of events, to keep him satisfied and, most importantly, interested.
"Discipline is everything. So, a disciplined and interested child will be able to reach their goal and succeed. It is also very important to work on the bases. The bases are crucial for us - the bases of teachers, mentors, as well as working on how many young people are abroad, how many of them will return, whether they want to return and whether we have any prospects on the market for their return," added Kaluđerović, who agrees with Tahiri that education is the salvation and that it is a tool for a more prosperous future.
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