Students Show Pride Through School Renovation
For many schools in Macedonia, funds provided by the Ministry of Education are not sufficient to cover necessary maintenance or pay for school improvements. Thanks to the “Be Proud of Your School” campaign, launched by three USAID projects, all of the high schools in Macedonia have freshly painted classrooms.
Starting in March this year, the E-Schools project and the Secondary Education Activity proposed the “Be Proud of Your School” campaign to principals across Macedonia.
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| Youth Volunteers at work |
“The Ministry of Education and Science, expresses great gratitude for the successful realization of the “Be Proud of Your School” campaign initiated by the three USAID programs: Community Self Help Initiative, E-schools and Secondary Education Activities” said Mr. Agim Fazliu, Chief of the Secondary Education Sector, Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Macedonia.
Paint and painting equipment provided by USAID’s Community Self Help Initiative was worth $180,000. “MakAction”, a USAID supported youth volunteer group created by Macedonia’s President Boris Trajkovski before his tragic death in early 2003, helped organize students and teachers into teams of 15 to 30 people in each school. Painting began in June and by the end of September the job was done. During the campaign, parents, teachers, students, and community stakeholders repainted the interiors of the country’s 90 secondary schools, directly benefiting more than 77,000 students. Parents, teachers and students together contributed their time, labor, and tools to complete the project.
“This grass roots approach makes students feel connected to their own learning process. The campaign had two benefits. It not only created a better, cleaner, and safer learning environment, but it also affected students by helping them develop ownership of their own actions and efforts. Also, during the campaign, parents and teachers painted shoulder to shoulder with their children. After this action, both students and the parents became more aware of school property and its required maintenance. They learned the benefits of working together to make their school better, more attractive and conducive to learning.” said Branko Aleksovski, Principal of the “Kiro Burnaz” Agricultural School, Kumanovo, Macedonia.
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