Children should attend school in warm classrooms

Council of Parents in the primary schools "Kuzman Josifovski -Pitu" and "Vladimir Polezhinoski" in Kichevo, Macedonia, announced a protest on Monday, 27th October, 2014, outside the Municipality building in Kichevo. The school ran out of oil for heating. These schools are attended by about 1,200 students who attend classes in Macedonian language. They require the municipality to resolve the problem and to ensure the normal flow of their children’s schooling.

“The children were seating in unheated classrooms. It's cold and I fear for their health. They started attending shortened classes, but when we saw that there are no signs for solving the problem, we decided for them to stop attending classes,” said one of the parents for the news portal Kicevo.mk.

Orce Naumovski, the director of "Kuzman Josifovski-Pitu" confirmed that children do not attend school the last five days.

“There is no heating and students have stopped attending classes since October 27. The problem with blocked accounts of schools is really old, but this is the first year without heating. Last year we were helped by the Commodity Reserves Agency. We have addressed elsewhere- in the Municipality and the Ministry, and that’s all we can do,” Naumovski said.

There three urban elementary schools in the Municipality of Kicevo and six rural schools. The problem with the heats is just with "Kuzman Josifovski-Pitu" and "Vladimir Polezhinoski".

The rural schools are using the old stocks, but even that stocks are running low. The third primary school in Kicevo, "Sande Sterjoski" reported no shortage of heating oil. In the high schools "Drita" and "Mirko Mileski" there’s no cessation in classes though the students complain that it’s cold although they have some heating.

- See more at: http://www.independent.mk/articles/10959/No+Heating+in+Kicevos+Schools+The+Mayor+Shifts+the+Blame#sthash.wep7dHF4.dpuf

While the polititians are gaining points on this issue, the children have lost 5 weeks of classes. I invite everyone to help support the parents! 

International Children's rights organisations are invited to investigate this issue, and raise awareness!