The Minister of Education, Arbërie Nagavci, reacted after reports that a mother of a minor student at a primary school in Mitrovica claims her son is being beaten, blackmailed, insulted, and threatened with cold weapons by other students at the school.
The director of the school where the minor attends denied the parent’s claims, stating that it is not true that her child is being mistreated and beaten by other students.
The Kosovo Police announced that they are handling the case.
In her reaction, Minister Nagavci expressed deep concern about the case and emphasized that violence in any form is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Nagavci even criticized the Municipality of Mitrovica for its handling of the case.
“At the same time, it is alarming that the Municipality of Mitrovica has failed to address this case, not giving it the importance it deserves. This is an institutional failure that cannot go without accountability,” Nagavci wrote on Facebook on January 31, 2025.
Nagavci called on the responsible institutions to treat this case with priority and take appropriate actions.
“The Ministry I lead, based on its competencies, will immediately engage the Education Inspectorate to handle this case. Our children deserve a safe and protected school environment, not a place where violence is normalized due to the inaction of local institutions,” Nagavci added.
Furthermore, she continued to criticize the Municipality of Mitrovica, stating that cases like this would have been easily prevented if municipalities had done their job.
“The Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MAShTI) has allocated sufficient budget for the employment of pedagogues and psychologists in schools. Specifically, out of 28 budgeted positions for Mitrovica, this municipality has hired only 1. It is high time to act,” the minister emphasized.
According to Nagavci, institutions cannot hide behind excuses, and those responsible must be held accountable for inaction.
“Every child in Kosovo deserves safety and well-being at school – and we will guarantee this at all costs,” she stressed.
KALLXO.com reported the claims of the minor student’s mother, which she published on a Facebook profile on Friday, January 31, 2025.
She stated that she is a single mother and had raised these concerns about her son with the school director, the class guardian, and the parents of the children she claims are causing violence against him.
The parent, along with her minor son, said she reported the case to the Mitrovica Police on January 31, 2025.
She claims that the class guardian of her son’s class is aware of the case and has taken punitive measures against the minor by removing him from the class.
Furthermore, the parent says her son was moved to another parallel class, and according to her, a “problematic” child and others went to that parallel class and physically assaulted him.
The spokesperson for the Mitrovica Region Police, Avni Zahiti, confirmed to KALLXO.com that in the afternoon hours of January 31, 2025, they received a report from a student’s mother regarding the school he attends.
KALLXO.com also asked the Director of Education in Mitrovica, Drita Kadriu, about this case, but did not receive a response until the news was published.
Note: The article was edited on January 31, 2025, at 23:55.