Life in Kosovo discusses the fourth anniversary of independence
Tonight, Life in Kosovo will discuss the achievements and challenges witnessed over the four years since Kosovo was declared to be an independent state.
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Every Thursday starting from 20:30, Radio Television Kosovo, RTK, broadcasts the TV debate show "Life in Kosovo", a joint production of BIRN and RTK.
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Life in Kosovo discusses the politicisation of teachers
06 October 2011 Life in Kosovo broadcast an interview with US diplomat Christopher Hill and a debate on the politicisation of school teachers.
Beginning the show, BIRN broadcast a report on its sixth anniversary event and the launch of the seventh season of Life in Kosovo.
In his interview with Jeta Xharra, Christopher Hill talked about his experience as a US mediator in dialogues relating to the resolution of conflicts in the former Yugoslavia.
Following the interview, BIRN broadcast a debate on the politicisation of teachers and the interference of politics in school management.
Questions covered include: Under what criteria are the hiring of teachers and the appointment of school directors based? Are teachers hired based on their political preferences? What measures should be taken by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to prevent such a phenomenon?
To discuss these and other issues related to the interference of politics in Kosovo’s education system, Jeta Xharra was joined in the studio by the following:
Ragip Gjoshi, a political adviser to the minister of education;
Agime Lajçi, former director of Smajl Hajdari primary school in Peja;
Ridvan Hoxha, a municipal adviser from LDK in the municipal assembly of Prizren;
Nexhat Çoçaj, director of education in Prizren;
Nexhmi Rudari, director of education in Podujeva; and
Edona Musa, a journalist.
At the beginning of the debate, Mr. Çoçaj said that the main basis for hiring teachers and directors in the municipality of Prizren is that of professional qualifications. According to him, “political favouritism occurs only if the applicant meets the required criteria.”
Being asked about the members of the interview panel and their political orientation, he said that “each panel consists of the school’s director and two members from the municipal directorate.”
Mr. Hoxha did not agree with Mr. Çoçaj regarding the procedures for hiring teachers, since, according to him, “schools’ directors often do not attend the interviews.”
“Therefore, the panel includes people from the respective party (in this case the PDK), who are closely linked with candidates,” he added.
However, he failed to explain whether the LDK did not follow the same alleged irregular procedures when they governed the municipality of Prizren.
Mr. Rudari said that “in such cases, I do not think that a call from the Ministry of Education to respect administrative instructions is sufficient. The best solution is that such administrative instructions should be completely changed.”
Mr. Gjoshi said that “we have formed responsible committees for drafting and amending administrative instructions, and we will not allow such irregularities to happen anymore.”
On the other hand, Ms. Lajçi said that “even though I have the required professional qualifications, I did not meet ‘the political criteria’ that were set by the responsible municipal panel in Peja. When my contract was due and the new applications opened, they decided to hire a new director who belonged to the AAK party.”
Further, Ms. Musa described specific cases of teacher recruitment, but unfortunately, these people did not wish to talk to the cameras. “I think that, in these cases, municipal governments throughout Kosovo have installed a system of fear in these people—threatening them in various forms,” she concluded.
During the debate, BIRN also broadcast an investigative report about the hiring of teachers in schools in Gjilan and Vushtrria municipalities.
PROCES IMENOVANJA I REIMENOVANJA SUDIJA I TUŽILACA
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MONITORING SUDOVGODIŠNJI IZVEŠTAJ APRIL 2010 - FEBRUAR 2011
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THE PROCESS OF JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS OF JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS
The report on the process of judicial appointments and reappointments analysis the flow of this process, specifically focusing on the bright and dark sides that have marred the process to its final stages.
COURT MONITORING ANNUAL REPORT APRIL 2010 - FEBRUARY 2011
Court monitoring report is published as a result of a continuous monitoring of all municipal and districts courts of Kosovo. The findings of this report are based on the monitoring of 2,147 court hearings, by BIRN monitors.
THE PROCESS OF JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
This report presents the results of part of BIRN's court monitoring project, specifically on the process for the appointment and reappointment of judges and prosecutors.
Follow the Paper Trail
\"Follow the Paper Trail\", a guide to document-based journalism in Kosovo, explains relevant laws, access to public documents, how to publish safely, where to find databases on investigative journalism, and how to locate documents online through various search engines.
Courts Monitoring Report 2010
A detailed analytical report about the work and administration of the courts in Prishtina, Peja, Prizren, Gjilan, Mitrovica, Ferizaj, Gjakova, Decan, Vushtrri, Poduleva, Lipjan, Klina and Istog. The report contains important information, collected by the network of monitors, placed in the major municipalities of Kosovo and aims to identify the key problems and issues that the justice system in Kosovo is facing.
REPORT: Monitoring the Courts 2009
Monitoring the work and administration of courts in Prishtina, Peja, Mitrovica, Gjilan, Ferizaj, Vushtrri and Skenderaj.
DIRECTLY ELECTED MAYOR SYSTEM IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE
The report on Directly Elected mayor System in Local Governance aims to provide a critical overview of the rationale and feasibility of the implementation of a municipal governance system that places the mayor as the central executive figure, during the third year of its application. The efficiency of this system was assessed based on the following pillars: the relationship between local government bodies, accountability of the municipal executive, respect for the law, the link between the mayor and the citizens, provision of public services (water supply and waste management, capital investments (in school and road projects)), level of transparency, public consultation and citizen participation in decision-making.
BIRN Report on Monitoring the Education System
Report on monitoring the elementary and high schools in Prishtina: Mitrovica, Ferizaj, Peja and Gjilan
Analytical report of the situation and the problems in the University of Prishtina
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Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
The opinions expressed in Balkan Insight are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network.
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