Publications
“Quality Education through Curriculum Reform”: Project Factsheet
Publishing date: 29 May 2023
Content type: Factsheet
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Education
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina developed, and, during the period from October 2019 to March 2022, implemented the project “Quality Education through Curriculum Reform”, funded by the governments of the Kingdom of Norway and the Italian Republic. The Project aimed to support education authorities in answering to an urgent need for change (PISA 2018, TIMSS 2019, and the struggles of online teaching amidst the COVID-19 pandemic) by improving inclusivity and quality of education through reforming curricula in line with the BiH Common Core Curriculum based on Student Learning Outcomes. This factsheet contains brief summary of project results.
Two Schools under One Roof
Publishing date: 9 May 2023
Collections: Bosnia and Herzegovina: Our projects in brief
Content type: Factsheet
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Human rights, Education, Tolerance and non-discrimination
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The 1990s conflict in BiH resulted in vast displacement and consequently ethnic homogenization in many areas. In an attempt to reverse this process and encourage the return of refugees and displaced persons, the practice of ‘two schools under one roof’ was established as a temporary measure in three ethnically-divided cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Zenica Doboj Canton, Central Bosnia Canton, and Herzegovina Neretva Canton). This interim measure provided children of different ethnicities, who had previously studied in separate, often inadequate private premises (houses, bars, or restaurants), an opportunity to at least receive education in a single school building. Unfortunately, the temporary has become permanent without any systemic solution in sight to transition to integrated schools.
Combating Discrimination in Education
Publishing date: 9 May 2023
Collections: Bosnia and Herzegovina: Our projects in brief
Content type: Factsheet
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Human rights, Education, Tolerance and non-discrimination
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Education as a fundamental human right must be ensured without discrimination on any ground. It is therefore crucial for every society, including Bosnia and Herzegovina and all its levels of government, to recognize and combat discrimination in education. Two decades after the war ended, many children in BiH are still faced with discriminatory practices in education and a subsequent lack of inclusive quality education. This, in essence, challenges their right to education. Education policies and practices in BiH still uphold ethno-national divisions as opposed to promoting mutual understanding, tolerance, and respect for diversity. A key objective of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina is to strengthen and support the efforts of BiH education authorities to ensure non-discriminatory inclusive quality education for all children.
Improving teaching and learning processes
Publishing date: 9 May 2023
Collections: Bosnia and Herzegovina: Our projects in brief
Content type: Factsheet
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Education
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Education is crucial for the development of sustainable peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), as it contributes to shaping the views and attitudes of young people. Despite changes over the past two decades, the teaching process remains based on outdated curricula and teaching materials. Combined with a heavy ethnic, religious, and gender bias, this means that schools often fail to equip students with the competencies they need for life in a dynamically changing and diverse society. Current education practices hinder reconciliation and jeopardize long-term stability, because they do not foster competencies, such as critical thinking, multiperspectivity, inclusivity, and respect of diversity, innovation and collaboration among the young generations.
POLICY BRIEF: Towards Education that Creates Changes in Bosnia and Herzegovina- On the path from traditional to contemporary curricula based on student learning outcomes
Publishing date: 4 January 2022
Content type: Brochure
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Education
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
This policy brief has been prepared based on the document Towards Education that Creates Changes: The report on the analysis of documents regulating primary and general secondary education in Bosnia and Herzegovina – on the path from traditional to contemporary curricula based on student learning outcomes, that has been developed in 2020 by a group of authors, experts in the area of education, who were engaged by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina within the project titled “Quality Education through Curriculum Reform” that is run by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina with financial support of the governments of the Kingdom of Norway and the Italian Republic.
“Two Schools Under One Roof”- The Most Visible Example of Discrimination in Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Publishing date: 3 December 2018
Content type: Report
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Human rights, Education
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) the right to education is being violated because of discrimination, which exists in schools in both entities. This report from the OSCE Mission to BiH (‘the Mission’) addresses the practice of ‘two schools under one roof’ in the Federation of BiH (FBiH) as the most visible (but by no means only) manifestation of discrimination in the education systems of the country.
Factsheet on Building Bridges in Schools
Publishing date: 1 January 2012
Content type: Factsheet
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Education
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Since the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina began to engage in education reform issues in 2002, the task of helping to create or rebuild links within and between divided communities has been at the core of its work.
Education Legislation and Inspectors
Publishing date: 1 January 2012
Content type: Factsheet
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Education
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Factsheet on the work of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina in monitoring and support of the development, adoption and implementation of a more effective education legislative framework in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Factsheet on Curricular Reform
Publishing date: 1 January 2012
Content type: Factsheet
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Education
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Mission has actively supported primary and secondary school curricular reform since 2002, advocating for educational standards in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to reflect human rights values and contemporary educational approaches common in the OSCE area.
Guide for parents and teachers: peer mediation
Publishing date: 1 May 2010
Content type: Guide / manual / handbook
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
What we do: Education
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Since schools life cannot go without conflict, these occurrences should not be ignored, instead, they should be addressed. Clashes never disappear, but with peer mediation they can be mitigated and often prevent their re-emergence. Regardless of whether it is a conflict happening in school or in a student’s family, neighbourhood, club, successful work team for mediation in school has an impact on extracurricular activities and private lives of students, but also their parents and teachers.