Dear Steemians, have you ever heard about two schools under the same roof? Me neither. Not until I had to start my primary grade. As Bosnia and Herzegovina is majorly 'shared' by the 'main' three ethnic groups (Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats), other things are shared as well. When I say 'shared', I do not really mean 'friendly' relationship in sharing, but radically in a way.
This is 'Katolicki Skolski Centar', the school where I finished my primary, and two years of secondary school. Staff, teachers, and students were great, indeed. But there is something that makes this school different. The 'blue' part is for Croats ('Catholics'), and the 'yellow' part is for Bosniaks ('Muslims'). Why I put religion in a context with nationality? Well, during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina which started in 1992, many things changed in my country. Nationality became strongly connected with religion. Serbs (Orthodox), Croats (Catholics), and Bosniaks (Muslims). Each 'group' got separate parts in the country. Not physically with borders, but more by recognition where who lives. So we also have three presidents 'leading' the country, each of them represent one nationality. Photo below shows that gentlemem.
Since then, my school, and many others in Bosnia and Herzegovina had to divide parts for different nationalities. Classes in the blue part (Croats) start at 8:30 in the morning, while the yellow part (Bosniaks) start at 8:00. We have different break times, the different ending of classes times. Furthermore, we are additionally separated by a huge fence. Last year the school's head system even put a locker on the fence so we can not go out during the breaks.
Now, through eyes of the students, and through mine as well, this school looks like this:
There are only guards with rifle guns missing.
This crazy system makes our children such a prejudicing mass, which sees a student from another part of the school, and immediately quits all communication or any relation with it. Therefore, growing up like that, our country can not live in friendship, can not live in peace, and can not properly develop.
And this is only one example of such a govern-educational policy. Another examples of separating people are towns in this country. You have beautiful town of Mostar where the river Neretva is sparating two parts (Muslims and Chatolics). There is the main 'Old Bridge' which is one of the main connections between these two parts.
It is so sad that even today, more than 20 years after the war, you have people whose parents never allowed them to cross the bridge and hang out with 'other' people. In one of the interviews that NGOs made in both of the two sides, one of the youngsters said that he does not hang with 'other' people, and he never crossed the bridge in his 19 years lifteme span. He did not even live in the period of war, or if he did, ha can not remember anythigng. To be even worse, he mentioned that he could recognise those 'other' people only by their skin texture. SKIN TEXTURE, how the FLIP FLOPS you do that, MAN! Even though I do not live in Bosnia and Herzegovina anymore, it is very frustrating fot me to watch my closest ones how this system is making damage to them.
PLEASE, tell me what do you think it is a solution, because I currently do not see one. It is like a tree's root which grew very deep under the surface of the land, and you can not take it out.
Thanks if you read the wole post, and again, please share your thoughts!
@keyss