MASS SCHOOLING OF THE REFUGEE CHILDREN

MASS SCHOOLING OF THE REFUGEE CHILDREN

The care and respect that the People’s Republic of Macedonia has given the refugee children from Aegean Macedonia is not expressed only through providing accommodation, food and clothing for them, but also through being engaged in their enrollment in primary and secondary schools and in the schools for apprentices. This can best be shown through the information we come to possess. According to our information, in 1951 137 students were placed in the boarding schools for apprentices in Skopje. This program was realized under the direct care and guidance of the People’s Republic of Macedonia’s Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Social Care.

The process of training and educating the refugee children was also realized in the People’s Republic of Croatia. According to our information, in 1951 there were 13 children educated in Zagreb, 25 in Samobor and 70 in Osiek.

In Yugoslavia, in 1951 245 students were educated in various trades and received jobs in the economy sector. This only applies to those refugee children who arrived without parents. Their accommodations, schooling and care were exclusively provided by the Yugoslav Red Cross in cooperation with the Red Cross of the republics.

In 1952 40 children were attending school in Novi Sad and 31 in Belgrade in the economy sector. There were 52 girls attending school in Osiek who, in 1952, completed their education in the economy sector in Skopje and were able to help the Macedonian textile industry. The courses were 3 years long. A group of young people who had completed the 3-year trade course in Zagreb and Samobor also arrived in Skopje that year (1952) and became engaged in the manufacturing processes and facilitated the People’s Republic of Macedonia’s industrial development.

We should mention at this point that 6 refugee children were still learning a trade while being housed in Bela Tsrkva until 1958, or more precisely until 1960. After that there were no more refugee children in children’s homes in Bela Tsrkva. Those students who had not completed their trade education were sent to the various trade schools in the People’s Republic of Macedonia to complete their education.

In 1948 there were 29 students in the People’s Republic of Macedonia learning a trade and this continued until 1966 as more students were added. All of these students remained the responsibility and concern of the Yugoslav Red Cross and the government of the People’s Republic of Macedonia. Every effort was made not only to educate these children but also to repatriate them with their parents and families in Macedonia and the wider world.

It is interesting to mention that in 1956 more students from the children’s homes in Bela Tsrkva came to the People’s Republic of Macedonia to continue their studies. Among them were 46 who attended the following schools:

Eight refugee children attended the school in Bitola.

Two students attended the industrial school in Skopje, 2 students attended the secondary music school, 11 students attended the school of construction, 4 students attended the middle technical school and 19 attended the “October 11” facility learning a trade. The following students completed their schooling in the economy sector in 1957:

Petre Bekirov, Alekso Kaichevski, Atinka Georgieva, Niki Kostadinova, Pavle Delov, Sondra Popova, Dora Giorgova, Tonka Popova and others.

AMONG THE STUDENTS FROM THE GRAPHIC SCHOOL IN SKOPJE

Many of the refugee children also enrolled themselves in the school of graphics. This is what the newspaper “Voice of the Aegeans” wrote about that:

“The school carries the name ‘Nizhe School of Graphics’ and accepts students who have completed grade II high school or equivalent. They are taught for three years. Teaching is both theoretical and practical. There are three groupings: typography, machine and bookbinding.

For better utilization of the workforce, the administration receives small orders and small print brochures that are processed by the students themselves. This is a useful way of giving the students the opportunity to practice and, at the same time, provide a service to the customers.

The students themselves have organized a choir, an amateur recital section, a soccer team, chess teams, a volleyball team, a boxing team and other sports teams. This way they are building their knowledge in cultural, educational and physical activities.

Among the many students in this school there are also 27 refugee children from Aegean Macedonia. When we asked them how they feel about this school, they said that they are fully satisfied and grateful to have this opportunity to learn, so that they can become worthy sons of Macedonia and contribute more to their people.

Giorgi Kimevski from the village Neret, Lerin Region, born in 1936, is one of the best students in the school. He is here all alone. His mother is in Poland with his youngest sister. His father is in Russia and his two younger brothers are in Czechoslovakia. Giorgi came to Yugoslavia in 1948 with a group of refugee children fleeing the Monarcho-Fascists. Now he is one of the best students in the school and he dreams of becoming a specialist and, like he says, become useful to society.

Giorgi Matinovski is the oldest student from the Aegean refugees. He joined the ranks of DAG in 1947. Here is what he had to say:

‘My unit, of which I was a part, participated in many of the major battles against the Monarcho-Fascists, including the battle for Konitsa, Grevena, Gramos, Malimadi, Voden, S’botsko and Lerin. But after DAG capitulated I left for Yugoslavia, that was before the end of 1949. My brother was killed in 1948 in the battle for Gramos. I was always ready to die for my homeland Macedonia. Now I am here being educated. I want to become a good graphic artist, so that tomorrow I can go back to my liberated homeland and help our people. The Macedonians back home were never taught their Macedonian language and we the Aegeans here, including the

graphic artists, are now being trained so that we can help in that direction.’

Giorgi Tanurev from the village Bahovo, Meglen Region, told us the following:

‘My father fought for the liberation of Macedonia as a DAG unit commander. Zahariadis’s cronies had him executed because he was a staunch Macedonian. I will never forget why my father died. I love my homeland and I want it to be free. I want our people to be the masters of their own destiny. Now I am here learning and I think this the best way to contribute to our work.’

All refugee children from Aegean Macedonia strive to master theory and practice and to achieve very good results in their education.”