Jurgen finds Children’s Government an opportunity to improve his school

In Klobcisht, Peshkopi (North-East) a very remote village, always affected by harsh winters, where poverty and unemployment predominate, in a school with many physical and content wise problems, Jurgen, a 12 year old boy, is striving to challenge this reality and make his school better.

He is a shining example for all his classmates. He is the top of the 6th grade and his name and photo have always been present on the school best students’ board. But what is more important for him is his new role as President of the Children’s Government (CG). He is proud of his new position and feels very responsible.
Two years ago, Jurgen, was timid, rarely talked and had few friends. Initially, when he was elected as his class senator and member of CG, he hesitated to speak and was very doubtful about his role and ability to make positive changes in the school. He had little information about CG.

But due to his involvement with our Children’s Government education project he gained confidence and optimism. He was trained and provided with many informative publications on children’s rights covering topics such as, their right to participation in school life, role of children’s government and how to make it functional, how to increase children’s participation in school life and in decision-making and how to influence school improvements.

With our support he is now the most active member. He has improved his communication skills, has learned how to plan, organize and lead the CG activities. His confidence and selfesteem are obvious. He is tolerant and a very good team player.

Members of Children’s Government gather every month and discuss pupils’ issues and how to provide solutions to them. They have organized various children’s rights activities which involved community members as well; have helped children with learning difficulties to improve their school results; school greenery, sports and cultural events, activities against drugs and fundraising for school activities.

But not every step is easy Jurgen also emphasized. In their work to strengthen CG identity and increase its activity, children face many difficulties and issues. They don’t have space to hold CG meetings and activities, teachers who don’t understand the role of CG are an obstacle to their efforts. They have limited time to arrange activities and ensure children’s participation because of their school work load. Sometimes they find difficulties in integrating the community in school life and parents ignore children’s thoughts and become a barrier especially to girls’ participation in school activities.

Jurgen, as a representative of school CG, appealed right up to the ministerial level to improve his school environment. He participated in the meeting with the Minister, where Jurgen and other children had the chance to raise their voice and speak up for their rights and issues. Most of them came from schools where children are not allowed to express their thoughts freely or to contradict teachers or director’s opinions and views. They all came from communities where no one takes children’s opinions into consideration.

At the end of the meeting Jurgen also submitted a letter to the Minister listing school issues and asking for improvements. The appeal was prepared together with other children’s government members of his school.

“I want to make my school better that’s why I like being a member of the CG”, expressed Jurgen and his eyes shine from pride and the desire to improve his school.

Jurgen’s father is a teacher and his mother is unemployed. His family life is not at all easy but his parents support him in his initiatives to influence changes in school. But they have not always been so. Mainly in such remote areas parents often cannot accept that children have rights and can make their own decisions on matters that affect them. But now his parents realize the change in their child and also the improvements that Jurgen and other CG members made possible in their school and community.

“I now understand that although we’re very young, children can undertake important responsibilities and solve their school’s and peers issues”, said Jurgen.

These positive changes are taking place in spite of a challenging reality. In Klobcisht village, there are severe social problems because of emigration, poverty and unemployment. Children are obliged to leave school to go and find a job abroad to earn their family a living, while Jurgen, has learned to bring changes in school. This gives hope that life in this community will not stop the desire for a better education and a ray of hope can shine for Klobcisht as well.