In a pioneering effort, Kosovo’s teachers’ union, SBASHK (United Union of Education, Science and Culture of Kosovo), is spearheading a comprehensive initiative to establish a multi-tiered mental health support system in schools. This successful endeavor includes the organization of a national conference last month, where over 80 representatives from Kosovo’s education unions, civil society organizations, government bodies, healthcare, media, academia, and parents’ councils collaboratively addressed mental health challenges.
At the conference, participants collectively committed to fostering collaboration on future solutions, with the Ministry of Education pledging to augment the number of school psychologists. Additionally, the ministry expressed its commitment to addressing national mental health legislation and supporting awareness campaigns on a national scale.
The event focused on destigmatizing discussions surrounding mental health, delving into the latest research and best practices for mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention among students, teachers, and families. Panel discussions, workshops, and breakout sessions identified barriers to mental health improvement within schools, resulting in a collective plea for increased psychologists in schools, enhanced training programs for teachers and psychologists, improved working conditions for teachers, specialized service referrals, advocacy campaigns to reduce mental health stigma, and a call for stakeholders to collaborate effectively.
Member of Parliament and University of Pristina Psychology Professor Fitim Uka highlighted the intertwining factors affecting mental health in Kosovar society, including transgenerational trauma from the 1990s Kosovo war, low salaries, high unemployment rates, unsafe environments, and poor-quality education.
SBASHK Chairperson Rrahman Jasharaj emphasized the significance of collaboration, stating, “This conference proves that, together, we can help for the good of a school and for an even better education.”
Solidarity Center Executive Director Shawna Bader-Blau, a presenter at the conference, echoed the call for a unified agenda among schools, families, communities, and policymakers. She stated, “We’re all in this together, to help our children succeed and help our schools succeed.”
During the 1998-1999 Kosovo war, SBASHK played a pivotal role in preserving education services. Presently, SBASHK advocates for improved working conditions, fair salaries, safer schools, and professional growth opportunities for teachers. Despite a significant salary increase secured through a five-week 2022 teachers’ strike in response to the economic challenges stemming from the COVID pandemic and the Ukraine war, regional economic difficulties persist, posing ongoing threats to teachers’ well-being.
The Pristina conference held on February 21 and 22 received support from the Solidarity Center and united various stakeholders dedicated to enhancing mental health support in schools, including SBASHK, the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI), the Ministry of Health (MoH), and numerous other educational, healthcare, and civil society entities.
