A few months ago, Jehona Lushaku-Sadriu, the vice president of the Municipality of Prishtina, announced that all-day teaching will be implemented in schools throughout the capital starting in September 2024. According to the municipality, this ambitious project will initially roll out in several elementary schools and is set to expand and eventually cover the entire city.

To enable all-day learning for primary school students, the project will reorganize schools in Prishtina by merging some and changing some buildings. One school affected by this reorganization is the Xhevdet Doda gymnasium, which will move to the building currently used by the specialized mathematical gymnasium.

Teachers at Xhevdet Doda gymnasium have opposed the project, arguing that relocating the school would harm its reputation, teaching quality and disrupt the current structure for students. 

However, as someone who was a student at this school for the 2023-24 academic year, I find it unclear how a one-kilometer move could have such negative effects on a gymnasium with such a good reputation.

All-day learning is a common practice in many countries with more developed education systems, especially for primary school students. Kosovo should take steps to adopt this approach as well. The Kosovo curriculum, which draws inspiration from EU standards, emphasizes primary schools’ important role in the socio-academic development of students in this age group. This development is only possible when students understand the purpose of attending school — to learn to comprehend texts and concepts and to practice critical thinking.

The planned reform in Prishtina aims for students to complete their lessons in the morning and have additional reading comprehension hours and recreational activities in the afternoon. This approach makes learning more enjoyable while improving the overall quality of education. In simple terms, this reform could positively impact the social, academic and psychological development of children.

When this reform is mentioned, it is implied that it will shape Prishtina’s students, making them more responsible citizens, critical thinkers, fluent communicators and persuasive writers.

This change also means that high schools in Prishtina, including Xhevdet Doda, will welcome students with strong critical thinking skills who will contribute to the school’s development.

The relocation of this famous school in Prishtina should be worthwhile. Above all, the Xhevdet Doda gymnasium takes pride in the skills of its graduates, considering itself a prestigious school. However, an important question needs to be asked: does Xhevdet Doda want capable and critical students who could help drive internal reforms within the school?

The high school that refuses to change its mindset

The Xhevdet Doda gymnasium is often regarded as the best in the city. I frequently hear stories of talented students in Prishtina feeling pressured to attend Xhevdet Doda — I experienced this myself. It’s constantly spoken of as an institution with unmatched prestige. However, there’s rarely any discussion when this reputation is questioned or when public criticism of the school surfaces.

However, like many schools in Kosovo, the Xhevdet Doda gymnasium faces significant challenges. As a former student, I see it as a school that prioritizes enforcing uniforms over the academic and intellectual development of its students. It values external reputation more than internal reflection. Furthermore, the school seems more concerned with how it appears in competitions than with genuinely supporting its students’ development.

From my perspective, the Xhevdet Doda gymnasium is extremely disorganized. Despite having exceptionally talented teachers, the ineffective management and rigid hierarchy creates an egocentric environment.

Given its reputation, one would expect Xhevdet Doda to be a school of high integrity, supporting and encouraging students to reach their full potential. However, Xhevdet Doda’s students must handle tasks, studies, organizations and activities on their own, without any academic or moral support. This doesn’t mean that individual teachers don’t help students; rather, it highlights that the school lacks a structured system for providing student support.

For example, a school should provide extensive support at the beginning of the academic year to help students from different educational backgrounds adapt more easily. However, this did not happen during my time at Xhevdet Doda.

In my experience, some teachers form inaccurate long-term impressions and expectations about students’ abilities based on their initial approach to certain subjects. This often happens through broad and sometimes irrelevant questions during the first two or three classes of the school year. Some students knew the answers, some did not and others felt uncomfortable responding. These answers lead teachers to form assumptions and expectations of their students. This early assessment approach has been called a self-fulfilling prophecy in the classroom and is normalized in this high school, which can impact students’ academic achievement. When teachers perceive a student as capable, the student is more likely to receive higher grades and achieve better results.

A student should be evaluated based on potential, not just achievements. To be clear, this responsibility falls not only on individual teachers but also on the management and the educational system as a whole.

Although we are a relatively new and developing state, Xhevdet Doda has tremendous potential for internal improvement and growth — its students. The students who attend this high school are typically excellent and represent a valuable asset. If Xhevdet Doda could harness the new and visionary ideas of its students, it would become the most innovative school in Kosovo.

I believe that, unfortunately, the mentality ingrained in this gymnasium stifles students’ creativity. It robs them of a vision for the future and plunges them into an authoritarian approach to managing a school. From what I have observed, when students present different or innovative ideas, these ideas are often suppressed or ignored, causing students to question their own abilities and skills.

In addition, although the students are organized in the Student Council, their representation in the school’s decision-making processes is weak, if not entirely absent. As a result, students have very few opportunities to participate in change and reform initiatives, as they are not adequately represented in decisions that directly affect them. From what I observed as a Student Council member, students are often used as symbolic figures in situations where their representation is a legal obligation. When students voice complaints or suggestions, they are only superficially acknowledged and are dismissed with irony.

Above all, in my experience, the school does not follow the rules for involving students in decision-making. For example, the Administrative Instruction of the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation states that any member of the Student Council is eligible to run for president. However, from my experience as a member of the Student Council, Xhevdet Doda gymnasium only allows only third-year students to run for president. If the school believes this practice is acceptable, it should be put to a vote in the Student Council. Unfortunately, as is often the case, students are not consulted and the school makes decisions unilaterally.

Furthermore, there have been instances where staff members have directly verbally abused students, making them feel worthless. Invalidation by dismissing a student’s opinions has become a common practice in high school. This behavior negatively harms their self-confidence and mental health.

The way that the Xhevdet Doda gymnasium operates is heavily influenced by the past and does not focus on the future or even the present. A school should regularly engage in internal evaluation processes and strive for improvement. However, this does not happen at Xhevdet Doda. Therefore, many of the opinions about the school are baseless and, in my opinion, incorrect.

I no longer attend classes at Xhevdet Doda because I won a scholarship to the United World College. Looking back at the year I spent at Xhevdet Doda, I realize that I have changed significantly. The unnecessary pressure in this school has created uncertainty in both our social and academic lives.

At the same time, observing the emphasis placed on the well-being and opinions of students at my current school, I see the numerous opportunities that Xhevdet Doda has to become an excellent school. People often ask me if I wanted to study abroad due to the conditions at Xhevdet Doda. Honestly, I’m not sure. 

Of course, if the gymnasium had better standards, I would have been very happy to continue my studies there. However, my instinct always drives me to seek better opportunities. I looked for the best at Xhevdet Doda, but unfortunately, I was disappointed.

As a true icon of Prishtina, Xhevdet Doda should embody the values and aspirations of Kosovo’s capital.

Feature Image: K2.0

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