2012 for OBESSU’s members: USO and DOS reveal their plans!
After OBESSU’s 7th European School Student Convention and COMEM the participants went home filled with inspiration for future activities in their national sections. After a well-deserved Christmas break, our school student activists started to plan 2012. Here we present you the ambitions of OBESSU’s members in Switzerland (USO) and Slovenia (DOS).
Our Swiss member organisation, the Union der Schülerorganisationen der Schweiz (USO), is mainly working on the development of two major events: In March USO will organise a workshop in Neuchatel (middle-west Switzerland) to incorporate the francophone part of Switzerland more in USO’s activities. “So far, USO has mainly been directed by germanophones”, USO’s International Officer Elsa Lengeler explains. “As we have a new francophone board member since October and I myself come from Geneva originally as well, I am really excited about this workshop”. The workshop will be organised with the kind support from OBESSU’s French member organisation UNL. The second event will be the biggest event the USO ever planned: A conference on education in the 21st century, aiming to bring 100 students together. The event will be held from the 29th of March to the 1st of April in Wallis (South-Switzerland). Sue Laager will host a workshop about OBESSU and some student activists from Denmark and Finland are expected.
Our Slovenian member, Dijaška organizacija Slovenije (DOS), revealed that they are busy with many projects: As 2011 came to an end, DOS finished their Christmas Present Project. In total 24 students from a disadvantaged socio-economic background received a fantastic present. The project was a resounding success and a good way to finish the year. Currently DOS is planning an ambitious School Student National Conference. DOS’ International Officer Lori Dolores Kregar revealed that “everything is progressing well, but it is an enormous project and one of the biggest projects in the history of the organization so the work of DOS is quite hectic these days”. Besides these events, DOS is doing a lot of advocacy work, mainly through regular meetings with the Slovenian Parliament. But also by taking actively part in work groups on various themes which are conducted by the ministries and governmental institutions.
The current political climate in Slovenia also calls for action by the students: a new law was enforced on New Year’s Day and all the scholarships for minors from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds were cancelled. Although the law tries to improve the situation by providing the school-student’s parents with higher child benefit, it is still not enough. The Slovenian government continues to save money on education which will have devastating long-term effects. DOS decided to address this issue and Lori revealed the course of action: “As we represent the students we have decided to take a stand and will file this for a constitutional judgment as it is seriously harming those who come from the lowest social classes. In case that we don’t succeed in filing for a constitutional re-accession, as drastic times call for drastic measures, we are considering a suspension of classes at all secondary schools”. DOS is also planning to shoot a short film which will promote the work of DOS. Lori explained that “this is one of the most exciting projects as we are planning to upload it online on all our web-channels”.
OBESSU wishes all her member organisations a full year of students’ participation, rewarding struggles, democracy, sharing, learning, constructive discussions and new ideas!
Co-written by Sarah Dejaegher (OBESSU Secretariat), Lori Dolores Kregar (DOS) & Elsa Lengeler (USO).
