One of the largest elementary schools in Skopje, "Lazo Angelovski" opened this morning without students after the Parents' Council made a decision to boycott, which was agreed to by all classes from the first to the ninth grade. At the school gate, instead of the children's chatter, only banners appeared with the content "The little one will learn here!" and "Hold on little one, we are with you!".

The messages are of support for a student who these days is pointed out as the reason for the boycott in two elementary schools in Skopje - "11 Oktomvri" in Centar and "Lazo Angelovski" in Aerodrom. The parents of both schools point out the reasons for the boycott in the fact that it was a question of a student with violent behavior for whom no institution declared itself competent and capable of helping him and calming his passions.

The parents' council of "Lazo Angelovski" OU in Aerodrom decided last night that the boycott of their children will start from today, until institutional dismissal. The parents we talked to, who have students in this school, say that the problem has a genesis, a history, and that they are dissatisfied with the work of the Center for Social Affairs, with the pedagogical service and previous attempts to push the problem under the carpet until it escalated to the point to no longer be able to turn a blind eye to him.

"As a council, and above all as parents, we are following the events of the past two days, which relate to our school, with extreme attention. Due to the fact that this problem has its own genesis, and the consequences and the unresolved problem are still relevant today, an initiative was launched to hold an extraordinary session of the council. As a prelude to the session that took place today on 04.12.2024, through the representatives of the departments in the council, information was shared with all of you about the situation we are in as a school, and it was also requested to conduct a survey within each department about boycott of teaching until finding an appropriate solution to the situation. At the session held tonight at 19:30 p.m., the results of the survey were summarized and consent was unanimously obtained from each class to start the boycott of classes starting tomorrow, 05.12.2024, the Council of Parents of OU "Lazo" decided Angelovski". 

According to the decision, the council appealed to all students to stay at home.

"Let's give the authorities the opportunity to find a solution to the problem we are facing, with which we will all be satisfied and let our children go to school without worrying that they will return home safely." We note that the boycott decision refers to the day 05.12.2024 - Thursday and is valid for all grades from 1st to 9th. In the course of tomorrow, additionally through the representatives, information will be shared with all of you about the steps taken that will apply to the following period", informed the Council of Parents of OU "Lazo Angelovski". 

There was also a boycott in the central primary school "11 October". There, the director claimed that she gave her consent for the child's enrollment following a regular procedure, but regretted it, because she received information about the child's history that was not previously known to her.

The Ministry of Education has announced a meeting of the stakeholders for today to find a solution in the interest of all parties. The student has the right to education, the Minister of Education Vesna Janevska said yesterday.

- Every child in the country has the right to education. Education is mandatory. The focus of the educational system is the child, whoever he is and whatever happens to him in his life, he should find a place in the state system. The state is obliged together with the schools to enable the child to go through the educational process. I believe that the reaction of all parents is overemphasized, but also that schools should take the work around children with learning difficulties or who have behavioral and socialization difficulties more seriously. This case is taking too long. Certain measures have been taken and even the Ministry of Education and Culture has formed a commission to intervene in solving the problem. It is recommended that the child change the environment. If experts recommend it, then it should be so. The school where the child comes from has a teacher, a psychologist, social workers and a whole system that should solve the problem. Any school the child goes to has the same services and a whole system at their disposal. The child must not stay on the street - Janevska said.