The children are learning the Macedonian and Albanian language through play and informal education which is being held every day after the end of the classes from the regular curriculum in the first integrated bilingual school in the Tetovo village Preljubiste.
Noise of Macedonian and Albanian students in first and second grade who are talking between themselves in both languages. On each step in the school yard, the hall and the classrooms, they would greet you with "добар ден" and "miredita" or with "diten e mire" and "догледање".
This is the daily routine for Arta, Angela, Mihaela, Miruse, Robert, Driton and for about 40 children enrolled in the first integrated bilingual school in the Tetovo village Preljubiste, where the use of the Macedonian and Albanian language does not cause division and intolerance - on the contrary, it unites both communities.
In the primary school in Preljubiste, this is the second year of implementation of a project funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway through the non-governmental organization "Nansen Dialogue Center", which proves that cohabitation in the post-conflict regions may function otherwise. It shows that mostly through education, children may integrate instead of separate and study in separate facilities. The team managed by the Director Saso Stojkovski who is implementing the project integrated bilingual education is proud with the accomplished and has no dilemma that this is the future of education in every multiethnic society.
Recently, OSCE has proposed a project for new educational policy which should integrate all ethnic communities and breakdown stereotypes. Most likely, the Government will support this project, as well.
THEY ARE LEARNING A SECOND LANGUAGE THROUGH PLAY
The children are learning both languages through informal education, which is held every day after the end of the classes from the regular curriculum. The teachers Elizabeta Stamenkovska and Linda Jashari are teaching the children through several sections - ethnic, research, creative, drama, mathematics, environmental and a section for peace and tolerance how to speak the language of their friends from the other ethnic community. The children draw together, play together, integrate and they don't find it strange if their best friend belongs to the other community. It is specific that there is no translation from one to another language on the class, but through paraphrases Elizabeta is explaining Linda and vice versa. This way, the children listen to both languages at the same time, learn new words and actively participate on the classes.
- The informal program is in correlation with the regular one and the difference is in the mixed groups and that it is bilingual. For example, when children are drawing some object, they would hear the name of that object several times during the class both in Macedonian and Albanian language. This way, the children are learning the second language. On the mathematics class, they learn the numbers. Through the ethnic section, they learn about both cultures, customs, tradition, folk costumes. During Easter and Bayram holidays, they visit each other so that they can feel the customs in a home setting and what these customs symbolize. In the school, we celebrate all birthdays with songs in Macedonian, Albanian and English language - explains Stojkovski.
The team of "Dnevnik" also had an opportunity to see the effects from the bilingual education. On the drama section class, the children were performing the fairytale "The sleeping beauty". It was really impressive that when teacher Linda asked a question, the student in second grade, Robert, spontaneously replied to her in Albanian. Yet, main stars of the class were the two "fairies", Miruse and Mihaela. Miruse belongs to the Roma ethnic group, but chose Albanian for her mother tongue. When we asked her what her role was, she answered joyfully that she was a fairy, i.e. zane.
Another proof that children are learning about each other through integrated education is the drawing papers on the wall, where you can see the Macedonian folk dance "oro", the Albanian folk dance "shota", the folk instruments, as well as characters from the fairytales. Through the peace and tolerance section, the children are also getting familiar with the remote cultures, such as Spanish, Japanese…
Bilingual education is a challenge also for the teachers who have previously attended courses in Albanian, i.e. Macedonian language, English language, IT and bilingual education.
WITHOUT "MAKING FILMS FOR EACH OTHER"
We were told in the school that the bilingual education is most beneficial for the children, because they are learning the second language in an unobtrusive way.
- The students in second grade already understand what am I asking them and they are trying to reply in the other language. Bilingual education is not only beneficial for the children, but for the whole society, as well. My recommendation is that it should be applied in other schools, as well - says teacher Stamenkovska.
Her colleague Jashari says that this is the first generation of bilingual education for her and believes that this model can succeed. And this is what the whole team believes in, although Director Stojkovski says that also in the beginning of the project, they were facing troubles and mistrust. He says that it is important for the project that there is active participation of the parents, teachers and students in it.
- In the beginning, there was mistrust on the parents' side. There was fear and rejection, especially after what happened in 2001. But we have earned trust at the parents through discussions. The project has been accepted after they've visited a multiethnic school in Oslo, Norway. This is where the parents convinced themselves that bilingualism may work, because they've realized that in the school in Oslo besides Norwegian, the mother tongue of 34 ethnic communities is being learned - says Stojkovski.
He hopes that certain prejudices and stereotypes that we have about each other will be overcome and that it is not good to create parallel educational systems. The most important thing is to create links between the communities, since there are 43 municipalities in Macedonia with multiethnic schools where at least 2 languages are being used.
- The research has shown that lack of communication is one of the main factors for prejudices, stereotypes or as we use to say among our people, "to make films about each other". The fear must be broken through communication which should be fostered through building confidence, tolerance and through mutual getting to know each other - says Stojkovski.
He is convinced that OSCE's strategy has realistic chances to be implemented and has already sent suggestions for inclusion of the parents in the project.
Starting from next year, the first secondary bilingual integrated school will be launched in Preljubiste, in which there will be 2 classes in Macedonian and Albanian language. The students and parents will decide whether it will be gymnasium or oriented secondary school.
Whether the new educational policy will see the light in multiethnic Macedonia depends on the political will, but also on the support from the broader public. So far, only the people from the school in Preljubiste have no dilemma that the integrated bilingual education is the future of the multiethnic society and the best proof for that is the message written by the children on the drawing paper on the wall: "We may be fish of a different type, but in this school we all swim together".
Mariela Trajkovska
