During the ten-year broadcast of PERSPECTIVA, a topic that dominated was education. Young people are deeply dissatisfied with the education system, believing they graduate unprepared. “We live in the 21st century but are learning as if we’re still in the 20th century,” they say.
Young people emphasize the societal consequences of this type of education. Some of these consequences are not immediately visible but could be catastrophic for society. Jelena, Iva, Nadja, Mirza, Anabela, and Najra spoke about this:
“We’re talking about transferring knowledge through rote memorization.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-mladi-banjaluka/31490341.html
“I think the main issue is that our education system is poorly designed; it doesn’t create leaders, but workers! It’s a system deliberately designed to turn us into workers, and not leaders. As someone previously mentioned, we’re simply punished every time we say ‘no.'”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/sjeverna-makedonija-kumanovo-mladi/33196767.html
“Our education system fosters a value system that promotes a single mindset. Different opinions and attitudes are not accepted. As a result, all these problems facing young people are reduced to a single, overarching issue: the refusal to listen to them. The ignorning of the youth has continued for so long that young people have given up on fighting for their problems to be solved.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perpektiva-mladi-crna-gora-problemi/32804765.html
“The education system is flawed, practically void of developing critical thinking. As a result, people no longer think for themselves and are merely completing tasks assigned to them.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/bosna-hercegovina-tuzla-mladi-perspektiva/32454204.html
“There’s a conspiracy theory suggesting that the older generation’s goal is to dumb down young people, forcing them to learn according to outdated systems. They’re essentially preparing us to be controlled—like puppets.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vucF5LbJRg
“If I were to assess the education system in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I would say it follows a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach that traps secondary school students in a mold they cannot escape.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-korijen-problema-je-obrazovanje/31616265.html
Participants of PERSPECTIVA also point out that the education system fosters ethnic divisions within society. Lectures and textbooks are filled with patriotism as interpreted by those in power. Knowledge becomes the first casualty. Zana and Edna shared their thoughts:
“The education system favors only one part of the country. I’m not just referring to the RS education system but also to that of the Federation. One part of the territory is prioritized, creating an image among young people that fosters imaginary lines of division – and that is something that is dangerous.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/32745400.html
“We learn about the scholars of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but there’s a key issue: we only learn from one perspective—the Islamic side. Our professor places the focus on Islamic achievements in science.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-tuzla/32443986.html
The conditions in which the educational process is carried out are poor. The attitude towards students is sometimes condescending. Arben, Lukas, Hana, and Suad shared their experiences:
“I think the level of education in Kosovo is below standard. Based on the results of international testing, it was clear that we scored much lower than other countries in the region and other developing countries.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXhhq2C5Yy0
“The problem is that, although it is the 21st century, in terms of digitalization, we’re still living in the Stone Age. We’re starting from zero.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU1Oeif1QBk&ab_channel=RadioSlobodnaEvropa
“I go to my internship, and after half an hour, they send me away or ask me to go buy them breakfast!”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-skoplje-mladi-brakovi/32671942.html
“We’ve had situations where teaching materials were decades old. Once, we used textbooks that described how to pull up electricity poles with the help of horses!”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/bihac-mladi-religija-influenseri/33248974.html
In the education systems of developed countries, critical thinking is nurtured, and dialogue between teachers and students is encouraged. Students are allowed to evaluate their teachers and have the right to disagree. The focus is on research and understanding, not rote memorization. Specialization has long been integrated into schools. Thinking critically and expressing one’s opinion is considered essential for success. This is in stark contrast to the experience of the participants of PERSPECTIVA.
