Youth participation
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a madrasa in an Albanian-majority area also say, “We have never been visited or asked by anyone about the problems we face at school. We are grateful for this focus group.” Youth in other focus groups expressed similar sentiments, and encouraged researchers to continue discussions in other forums and schools. Those involved in Severna Mitrovica also asked that a focus group be organized with Kosovar Albanians in order to share views on respective education systems. Youth in North Mitrovica also ask that similar discussions take place in other municipalities of North Kosovo and in high schools, and that youth consultations be held regularly to assess education progress across Kosovo. They also suggest that a website be created where youth can easily access and understand information about the Ministry of Education and school activities, and ways that youth can play an active role in improving education quality. In Georgia, some students say they often simply feel disrespected within the education system. One student at TSU states that, despite some instructors taking an interest in students, overall, “The university’s attitude towards us is negative. Our questions are followed by a rude answer, swearing or being totally ignored, which leaves us filled with indignation.” Students in Gori report some anonymous inquiries, and polls having been undertaken to obtain youth opinions, but say they are sceptical about what they called “ineffective formalities” that “do not lead to their opinions ever being taken into consideration.” Youth in Georgia are passionate, highly opinionated and often contentious in their discussion of education quality. At the same time, they often cower in the face of authority, noting that they feel helpless, unsupported and unconvinced that their voices or other efforts will lead to improvements. Some express fear that speaking out will make their precarious situation worse, especially if confronting or revealing corrupt professors. On one exemplary circumstance, although youth researchers hotly debated education quality issues during the
Demand for Education Innovation: Adolescent and youth perspectives on education quality in the CEECIS Region
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