UNICEF Office, Podgorica

PARENTS APPEAL REGARDING THE MORE AND MORE FREQUENT HARASSMENT OF THEIR CHILDREN AT "NJEGOS" ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CETINJE

General public in Montenegro is well acquainted with two latest incidents at "Njegos" elementary school in Cetinje, where children were the victims of violence because of their ethnic and religious background. These incidents have not been properly dealt with or cleared up until today. Parents of the aggressive children who took part in the attack are not even trying to show that they themselves do not feel hatred towards the victimized children and are openly refusing to take responsibility for their children's actions. Some of them have instead also verbally abused the attacked children. The authorities at the school have so far unfortunately not displayed readiness to protect our children.

We as parents whose children are constantly being harassed are puzzled because this whole wave of violence seems premeditated. The attitude of the parents whose children took part in the attack as well the attitude of some people representing the school authorities almost confirm the impression that such violence has become something implicitly desirable.

With such indolent and inactive school authorities further "survival" of our children is dependent largely also on the attitude of the Montenegrin Ministry of Education. It should put its words that "politics should be prevented from entering our schools" into action. Ideological "poisoning" and antagonizing of the school children is sadly becoming our reality. In the case of "Njegos" elementary school ministry should take notice of the fact that this school does not fulfill basic conditions for teaching: school does not have properly equipped classrooms for science oriented subjects; school does not have a gym, the school authorities request from children to leave the building during the breaks between classes but does not provide a teacher to supervise them and they spread into the neighboring streets. Most of these things are unacceptable for a normal educational institution. School authorities are also not doing anything to prevent some of the children from coming to school "equipped" with pen-knives, baseball bats and iron bars.

Having in mind all these irregularities, we are expecting the Ministry of Education to act adequately and provide our children with normal conditions for their education. Otherwise the schooling of our children, regardless of their ethnic or religious background, will become unbearably grim.

We are convinced that a solution to this problem could be found and the violence could be prevented. As parents we feel obliged to raise our voice in trying to protect our children. It does not matter how audacious the provocations from the violent school children themselves or their parents may become we are not going to react back by using violence. This may as well be the agenda for someone who keeps daily pushing these young boys into attacking our children.

We are also expecting from UNICEF's office in Podgorica to offer us help in trying to protect our children from the chauvinist based hatred. Children themselves are already paying a very dear price through their tears and through having to live in constant fear.

 

Worried Parents

In Cetinje, March 28^th 2001

Metropolitanate of Montenegro and Littoral : English index

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