S.B.S.S.S.R. rules out union actions, criticises the way of subsidizing textbooks

United Kosovo Education Union ( The SBASK is seeking dialogue by the government before deciding on union action. If teachers' requests are not taken into account, Ymer Ymer from the SBASK says they will take action, but not at the start of the new school year.

At a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Education, he says they have expressed their stance against the practice of subsidising textbooks. He considers obstacles to parents, including those living in Kosovo, will be presented but have no documents.

For Kosova Prees, Ymer reiterates the teaching requirements for raising the value of the cofficient and changing the collective annex of education.

We hope that the dialogue will begin as stated by the Ministry of Education that the dialogue has begun and will continue for the teaching requirements. If teachers ' requests are not taken into account and they do not express readiness for dialogue, there may be syndical actions, but not at the beginning of the school year, but after the school year begins, depending on the requirements for membership as we have... The strike is the last union action we don't want to get to that situation, but for other union actions, until the strike's preparation it takes time and depends on membership requirements”, Ymer declares.

As for the education ministry's decision that even this year become the subsidy of textbooks, Ymer considers that parents will face obstacles.

“Those who do not have Kosovo citizenship but have temporary residence permits in Kosovo, whether citizens of Macedonia, Eastern Kosovo or even Albania, cannot have addresses in e-Kosovo. The same goes for books, if the parents of a child who is teaching in Kosovo are citizens of Albania or Macedonia, they will not have the opportunity to apply through e-Kosovo to get the books”, he adds.

In their recent meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Education, Ymer says they have expressed a stance on subsidising textbooks.

Before this decision is made to subsidise textbooks, the SBASK chairman has had a meeting with the deputy education minister with whom these issues have been discussed and has expressed the position of the SBASK that has said perhaps the best approach is to start distributing the books in schools that have been in previous years, even though the ministry at the time Yasharaj met with Deputy Education Minister, has not yet been a decision for sub-versing texts. But, however, the ministry has decided perhaps after consultations it has made to”, he declares.

Anni why teachers are less engaged, Ymer adds that there may be times when children do not use school textbooks in time.

“In the logistics way to say the right of teaching is less engaged in this form of text subsidization, because they don't handle their distribution, but in terms of learning, there may be defects because students may not have schoolbooks, because last year has almost been through September, and they haven't had all books. Then there were cases in which there were various titles bought by a class from parents and did not match that affect the lesson”, Ymer said.

According to Ymer from SBASK, educators are ready for the start of the new school year.

“The teachers are ready because the school year calendar, 2024-2025, is published. Educators have begun preparing both annual and monthly programming based on that calendar. Teachers are prepared for the start of the school year on September 2nd, as the school calendar sees. While logistical aspects, school preparation is more of a matter of municipal directors. I believe that in the last two weeks, it takes intensive work, not all schools, because there are some in renovations. But, for the most part, I believe they are prepared for the start of the new school year”, he stressed.

Students from the first grade to the fifth will be subsidised by 80 euros, while those from the sixth to ninth grade by 110 euros.