Elif Koroglu and Elif Bunaku living in the city of Mitrovitsa in the north of Kosovo, daily overcame about 80 kilometers to attend school in the capital of Pristan, since in their hometown there is no way to get secondary education in Turkish.
Pupils of the 11th grade of the Lyceum named after the Fraseuri themselves in Prishtin, for a year and a half, wake up early in the morning to catch classes starting at 8:00.
Every day they overcome 40 kilometers one way and 40 kilometers back, using two buses – intercity and city. A two -hour trip allows them to get to school.
Elif Koroglu told Anadol that it is especially difficult to get to school in winter: “In winter, as a rule, problems arise, because in the morning it is very early, dark and cold.”
Having graduated from elementary school in Mitrovitsa with training in Turkish, she wanted to continue training in the same language at the Lyceum. “Every day I come from Mitrovitsa to Protina only to get an education in Turkish. I have very good marks, and this compensates for all my efforts. I plan to study at the University in Turkey, in Istanbul,” Koroglu shared.
Elif Bunaku also noted that the buses are often crowded in the morning, and she has to go standing.
Having graduated from primary and secondary school in Mitrovitsa with training in Albanian, she switched to Turkish. “I arrived at Protina to study at the Lyceum in Turkish and then go to Turkey to get a higher education in order to provide myself with a better future. I have not thought about the city or specialty,” Bunaku said.
She also added that she is very pleased with her school and teachers, and that she can learn thanks to the material and moral support of her family.
Education in Turkish in Kosovo
During the existence of Yugoslavia, in 1951, it was decided to open classes with training in the Turkish language for the Turkish community living in Kosovo. After finding Kosovo Independence, this right was preserved.
Currently, education in Turkish in Kosovo, despite the reduction in the number of students in recent years, continues in schools of various levels in the municipalities, grunted, Primusha, Mimusha and Gilan, as well as in the village of Dobruchan.
In addition, at the universities of Protina and the Ghost there are faculties of the Turkish language at the level of undergraduate and graduate.
According to the census conducted in Kosovo last year, 19,419 Turks live in the country.