Illustration (Photo: nd3000/shutterstock.com)
At the initiative of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republika Srpska and the Union of Employers’ Associations of Republika Srpska, the first Regional Council for Education was officially established in Banja Luka, with the aim of connecting the business and education sectors.
Regional education councils will be organized in 10 regions in Republika Srpska.
– Economic opportunities differ regionally and it is the regional councils that will indicate the real needs and how to direct education and enrollment policies in secondary schools – said the Minister of Education and Culture of Republika Srpska Natalija Trivić.
Trivić, who visited the production plants of Krajina Klas with eighth grade students of the Branko Ćopić Elementary School in Banja Luka, and then attended the founding assembly of the Regional Council for Education and a thematic class for students in the premises of this plant, emphasized that the goal of the Ministry is to develop educational strategies in line with labor market needs.
She stated that the Ministry of Education is continuously cooperating with companies, the Chamber of Commerce of Republika Srpska, the Union of Employers’ Associations and the Chamber of Crafts and Entrepreneurship in order to harmonize the needs of the labor market and direct education policy.
According to her, the regional councils will include local communities, representatives of businesses, school principals who will harmonize policies and direct joint solutions towards the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republika Srpska.
– If we have quality staff in high schools, which have quality enrollment policies, students who will learn to study, to attend practical classes with employers, which is our ultimate goal, in full capacity, then we will say that we have made a step forward and that students with the acquired knowledge and qualifications, are competitive on the labor market when they finish high school and want to work immediately or if they continue to study at some of the universities – said Trivić.
The president of the Union of Employers’ Associations of Republika Srpska, Saša Trivić, said that the Union, together with the Ministry of Education and Culture, will form regional councils throughout Republika Srpska, which will serve to better connect businesses, local community, schools and the Employment Bureau.
– In the next period we expect that schools will work better and that employers will have a better-quality workforce – said Trvić.
The representative of the employers, the director of the company Kolektor, Predrag Zorić, said that the economy without education cannot develop enough and that it is clear that with the support of the Ministry of Education and Culture, a lot can be done in the coming period.
– Today is the right day to start cooperation. We already have positive examples in local communities, and it is far from what the market really needs – said Zorić and called on employers to “open the door to students” in order to get a better workforce.
Momir Širko was elected president of the Regional Council for Education of Banja Luka, who said that the City Development Agency has been working for several years on the principles on which this council was founded.
– It will be our pleasure to transfer to all members of the Regional Council for Education, apart from the city of Banja Luka and the municipalities of Kotor Varos, Kneževo, Čelinac and Laktaši, information, knowledge and experience we have gained so far, so that they can connect the businesses and bring education to a higher level – added Širko.
The goal of the Regional Council for Education is to contribute to better integration and cooperation of high schools, businesses and local communities at the regional level, in order to better align education with the needs of the labor market and faster employment.
After the founding assembly of the Regional Council for Education of Banja Luka, a thematic class titled “My occupation” was organized for the eighth-grade students of the Branko Ćopić Elementary School, with the aim of learning about the required occupations in Republika Srpska, which was also attended by employers.
