A predictable result of the fighting has been a slow return to normalcy. Unemployment is still rampant, poverty is widespread and the peace is still tenuous. All that said, a key factor in Bosnia’s recovery rests in the education of its young people and the quality of its teachers.
The Educational Resource Center (ERC) in Livno is a place where high-quality educational materials and activities are made available to teachers and organizations engaged in education and public development.
WHI’s response here has been renovating classrooms and to build a place for teachers to maximize the quality and impact of their lessons. The Educational Resource Center (ERC) in Livno is a place where high-quality educational materials and activities are made available to teachers and organizations engaged in education and public development. Many books which teachers cannot afford are available on-loan from the ERC, as are a number of laptops and other technological resources.
In addition to offering an ongoing English discussion club, WHI also sponsors and hosts seminars for teachers in public schools, where qualified professors supplement and encourage professional development. The ERC also co-sponsors education enrichment projects in cooperation with local schools to improve the learning environment and to be a catalyst for acquiring resources for teachers and students.
This year additional projects have included purchasing geometrical tools, craft supplies, paper and ink for the journalism club, and aiding in the purchase of a public address system.
The ERC serves 3,000 primary school students in greater Livno and its surrounding area, however all six municipalities in the county have benefited from the services of the ERC. Over the last four years more than 100 people, mostly working professionals, have completed the in-depth computer skills course. In addition, nearly 40 people each year participate in the English club. 20 classrooms have been comprehensively remodeled since the work began.
The ERC, in cooperation with Indiana Wesleyan University and Dr. J. Bradley Garner, also offers an Education Leadership Institute. Fourteen outstanding teachers have graduated from the program in two years, acquiring high-level skills and valuable practical experience. Each teacher was involved in projects designed to bring strategic and tangible improvements to their schools. First year graduates served as mentors for the second year students, continuing the cycle of purposeful, specific and effective training.