Bosnia Legal Socialization Program

During October 2023, the BLSP RS/BD staff monitored schools participating in the Legal Socialisation Program (LSP) to see whether teaching teams delivered modules as they were trained and described in the LSP Manual for Teachers. The BLSP RS/BD staff visited schools in Kotor Varoš, Prijedor, Novi Grad, and Gradiška in Republika Srpska, where they attended LSP classes and had an opportunity to talk with Teaching Teams. Each class selected for LSP has one or more students at risk of unacceptable behavior. Teaching Teams shared that students initially showed restraint but soon accepted the police officers coming to the classroom. It has been observed that the teaching teams are well-prepared, supportive of each other, and deliver modules in an interactive and participatory manner. Students actively participate in the discussion, expressing their opinions and asking questions. Overall, LSP module implementation is successful and yields positive results.

Following a Public Call for project proposals for small community projects, the BLSP RS/BD Curriculum Development Team/Advisory Council (CDT/AC) held a meeting on October 12 and 13, 2023, in Jahorina and reviewed the received project proposals. The call was open to 58 primary and secondary schools from the Republika Srpska and Brčko District Bosnia and Herzegovina participating in BLSP RS/BD from Year 1 to Year 3.

CDA/AC worked in two committees and selected 10 best project proposals: 8 from Republika Srpska and 2 from Brčko District Bosnia and Herzegovina.  They will be awarded mini-grants of $500 each. PH Office in BiH will purchase supplies worth $500 as specified in the project proposals and deliver them to schools. The deadline for schools to implement their small community projects is November 30, 2023.

The second one-and-a-half-day workshop for developing an Internet safety booklet was held September 10 and 11, 2023, in the hotel “Termag” in Jahorina. Seven police officers from RS and BD and one University of Banja Luka Faculty of Security Science representative, who participated in the U.S. Study Visit, worked with an internet safety expert to finish the booklet draft. The booklet, covering relevant topics related to the risks and dangers of the internet for students and youth, is intended for parents, teachers, or police officers, i.e., anyone responsible for protecting children and youth. Once finalized, the content will be edited in Bosnian and Serbian, printed, and distributed at the sessions with Parents’ Councils of participating schools.