The development and strengthening of the role of the education trade union was the focus of a consultative meeting between representatives of the Institute for Social Policy Musine Kokalari and the United Education, Science and Culture Union (SBAShK).
The meeting was attended by Visar Ymeri, Donika Marku Gashi, and Drenusha Canolli from the Institute, as well as Vice President Vjollca Shala and General Secretary Ymer Ymeri from SBAShK, who presented the union’s key challenges and priorities.
During the discussion, it was emphasized that SBAShK, representing over 80% of education sector employees, requires strengthened union capacities, particularly in social dialogue, collective bargaining, and communication with institutions. In this regard, the importance of support through research and professional analysis was highlighted, as a means to build more solid and evidence-based arguments.
Key priorities identified included the digitalization and modernization of union processes, as well as the activation of youth, promotion of gender equality, and improvement of communication at the school level.
It was also noted that the limited engagement of young teachers is largely due to ineffective communication at the local level, underscoring the need for strategies to ensure broader participation. Meanwhile, the lack of institutional dialogue and the insufficient addressing of issues such as violence in schools remain major challenges.
This activity is supported by the Kosovo Civil Society Foundation program “EJA Kosovë,” co-funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Sweden.