Parents and teachers of the students who attend bilingual lectures in the regional school in the Tetovo village of Preljubiste, made a one-week study trip to Norway, in order to learn about their educational experiences. The group has visited three schools and has participated in the training “Dialogue for parents” in the famous humanistic “Nansen Academy”.
- We have visited the schools: “Sore Al” in Lillehammer, “Viderhaim” in Oyer and “Toyen” in Oslo. We have learned how the parents are being included in the education process of their children and about the ways through which different activities are being implemented, primarily in overcoming conflict situations of the children – said Arsen Marinkovski (parent).
The teachers who are teaching the students in Preljubiste had also an opportunity to learn about the methods of work in the schools in Norway.
- It is news for us that in the Norwegian education, there are no marks for the students until their 7th grade, but their work is being constantly evaluated throughout the whole school year. It is interesting how a day starts in Norway, with a mini show prepared by one of the classes – said Snezana Mihajloska (teacher).
The parents and the teachers had a special opportunity to learn about the activities of the school “Toyen” in Oslo, where the students also attend bilingual classes. The huge immigrant community who lives in the center of Oslo sends their children in this school.
- For the purpose of easier learning of the material, we have hired teachers who are training the students in their mother tongue. 48% of the teachers are organizing bilingual lectures in total of 30 languages (Hindu, Swahili, Arabic, Turkish). The goal is for the students to gain quality education, learn the Norwegian language and their integration in the society - says Tor Helgesen, Director of the school.
About the specifics of the education system in Norway, the parents and the teachers had an opportunity to learn during the training in the humanistic “Nansen Academy” in Lillehammer. The primary education starts at the age of 6 and lasts 7 grades. After that, there are 3 years of junior education and then 3 years of high school.
- The difference between Macedonia and Norway in the education segment is that here in Norway we are paying much more attention to the upbringing than the classical encyclopedic education of the students. The schools are teaching more about the ways an individual should behave and his/her behavior towards the other people. Gaining encyclopedic knowledge such as geography and math is secondary according to the interests of the students – says Steiner Bryn, Professor at the humanistic “Nansen Academy”.
This Academy also shows the educational specifics of the Scandinavian countries. On the Academy, there is informal education in duration of 1 year in three fields: art, literature and social sciences. The goal is to enable primarily to the high school students bringing more precise decision in choosing further directions in their education. The study visit of the parents and the teachers to Norway has been enabled by “Nansen Dialogue Center” from Skopje, a non-governmental organization which implements the pilot project with the bilingual lectures in the village in Preljubiste. In both classes there are 12 students each in 1st grade in Macedonian and Albanian language, whereas the additional educational activities are being held bilingually.
Aleksandar Samardziev
