Schools in the municipality of Vitez are “poorer” by 91 students this school year when compared to last year, and this is a continuation of the negative trend that, due to the massive displacement of the population.
According to Marija Grabovac, Assistant to the Mayor for Social Affairs, the drop in the number of students is particularly noticeable when it comes to secondary education.
“In the past school year, two high schools were attended by 568 students, while this year’s number is 491. Speaking of classes, that would be 77 students or even four classes less than last year,” said Grabovac.
The decline is also evident in the number of first-graders enrolled, 257 in the past year, and 247 in this year. “We are all aware of the situation in the society, both here and in the region, so I do not need to specifically explain why this decline is happening,” said Grabovac.
It is necessary to constantly invest in education, said Ilhana Zolota, a member in theMunicipal Council.
She said she would also request significant support for schools to organize the competition in the 2020 budget, and that co-operation between schools, NGOs, the Center for Social Work and the police should be strengthened.
“There is a need for constant support for extracurricular activities that allow students to express their creativity, “Zolota said, Avaz news portal reports.