April 3, 2019 - On the occasion of 4 April, Students' Day, the Civic Education Center CGO-CCE points to the importance of student activism and the involvement of young people in the struggle for democratisation and Europeanization of the Montenegrin society.
"Even today, in Montenegro, sporadic rebellious student voices are part of the cause. And part of the cause should be sought in a formal education system that does not educate young people about active citizenship, nor develops their critical thinking but also the political constellation of relationships that marginalise young people and their subjects. All of that has a negative impact on the youth's desire for any form of activism, and among youth is still a dominant lack of recognition of the importance of their own active participation in the formation of the society in which they live, and participation in civic initiatives is at the bottom of the chart of important things. The research "Montenegrin Youth- Social decor or social capital" implemented by CGO-CCE in 2016, indicated that nearly a quarter of young people considered it important not to be involved in civic initiatives and actions, and the overwhelming majority that it is not essential to be active in politics.
The CGO-CCE notes that today's approaches to change this approach emerge today through the activities of the Student Initiative and welcomes such forms of student organisation aimed at re-examining the quality of existing modalities of student representation in the university bodies to improve it, but also to contribute to a broader social change. In situations where the vast majority of students and students are sleeping in the masses of those who do not want to leave the comfort zone, such exits are particularly important.
The CGO-CCE's findings also warn of the low level of transparency of higher education institutions when it comes to access to information on institution sites, which also reduces the chances of students responding timely to issues that directly affect their position. In this context, CGO-CCE is concerned that there is no shift in the activism of student and student representatives in those bodies that have been established to improve their position, such as the Student Parliament. The work and choice of these student representatives remain insufficiently transparent and questionable, and the limiting factor is that this student body is positioned as an autonomous body with integrity and influence.
The overwhelming problems in higher education, but also on the broader social level, should be the focus of students and students themselves to shape the country in which they want to stay. Not the one they want to leave as soon as possible," says the CGO-CCE announcement signed by the associate Mira Popović.
