Skopje, 2 December 2024 (MIA) - Minister of Education and Science Vesna Janevska said Monday that sending inspectors to the “March 7” primary school in the village of Chelopek in Tetovo is in line with the law. She said that in addition to this school, which hosted an event where pupils were carrying rifles while dressed in military uniforms bearing National Liberation Army (NLA) emblems, the Ministry has received reports of similar events taking place in other schools in Tetovo, Skopje’s Chair municipality and Struga. Inspectors will be sent to those schools as well, she said on Monday.

“The State Education Inspectorate is on its way to the school in Chelopek. Additionally, we received reports for a school in Chair, two schools in Tetovo and a school in Struga. For all these schools we have photographic evidence and reports that such unpleasant events took place. The State Education Inspectorate is on the ground, and we expect them to publish the initial information,” Janevska told journalists.

The Minister said politics should not be present in schools.  

“As a Government and as a Minister we act in line with the law, that’s why the Inspectorate has been sent. The inspectors are obliged to work in accordance with the law. What they say should be done in line with the law, we will do. If they don’t act in line with the law, we will hold them responsible, but I don’t doubt that,” Janevska said.

The Minister was asked to comment on DUI’s statement about the event in which the party accused of an anti-Albanian policy and double standards in education, since, it said, two years ago children in Skopje’s municipality of Aerodrom were dressed like komiti and performed military salutes.

“I understand DUI’s policy and that they are desperately trying to raise their position in society in a way that’s completely wrong. As a political party they have a right to take some kind of action, but absolutely not through children and schools and absolutely not through the degradation of state symbols and by introducing militarism in schools,” the Minister said.

She said the event in Aerodrom was organized by a kindergarten caretaker who was fired and is still being tried in Court, but, she added, “the komiti are a part of the history of Macedonia as a country and are represented in its educational programs”, while “the NLA and its symbols don’t mean anything to this country”.

Janevska said children in the country should be raised “in the spirit of patriotism, honoring tradition, respect for diversity and building strong democratic values that won’t offend anyone”.

Photo: Screenshot