The “Catch UP” Educational Initiative in Pristina

In the spring of 2019, the Municipality of Pristina faced an unprecedented challenge. A group of 110 citizens, comprising 4 men, 32 women, and 74 children, returned to Kosovo from the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, stirring a pressing question: How could these individuals, especially the children, be reintegrated into a society that had moved on without them?

Among the returnees were children who had witnessed and lived through experiences no child should. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), in response to their immediate needs, spearheaded efforts to provide health support, accommodation, food, and, crucially, education. However, as the dust settled on these initial emergency interventions, a long-term challenge emerged: educating children who had missed critical years of schooling.

In a collaborative effort, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with the Ministry of Education, various municipalities, and international partners, embarked on a mission to devise a curriculum that could bridge the educational gap these children faced. The “Catch UP” programme, conceived and implemented at the “Emin Duraku” primary school in Pristina, was the answer to this challenging task. This initiative wasn’t just about teaching math or language arts; it was about preparing these children for full integration into Kosovo’s education system and, by extension, its society.

The programme’s success was not immediate. It required the commitment and flexibility of the entire school staff, supported by the Ministries and the Reintegration and Rehabilitation programme by CDF, to adapt and execute an accelerated education programme tailored to the children’s diverse needs. Over two years of dedicated effort, more than half of the participating children were able to join the regular learning process alongside their peers. This achievement marked a significant milestone in the children’s journey towards reintegration and resocialization within their community.

The “Catch UP” programme went beyond conventional classroom teaching. Organized curricular activities, including art and sports, played a vital role in easing the children’s transition. Initially segregated to manage their unique learning schedules, these children, post-COVID 19, were gradually integrated with their peers, celebrating a new phase of inclusion and mutual learning.

I In the same group of around 20 children who participated in the “catch-up” program, there were children of different ages who attended the same classes and followed the same educational curriculum. Despite these challenges, the teacher, who was solely responsible for the education of the returning children, successfully educated them and prepared them to reintegrate into the education system alongside their peers. This achievement was also acknowledged by the director of the primary school “Emin Duraku,” who expressed pride in the impact that the “catch-up program” had on the children, thanks to the support of CDF’s RRP program and the MoIA division for the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees. The director of “Emin Duraku” primary school highlighted the success of the CDF RRP program and MoIA in the education of repatriated children. He

stated, “Managing cases of returning children was initially a challenging responsibility for our school. We lacked experience and information on how to address these cases. However, with the support of MoIA and the CDF program, including training and educational materials, we were able to make a positive impact on the education process for repatriated children.”

The success of the “Catch UP” initiative in Pristina stands as a beacon of hope and a model for similar contexts worldwide. It highlights the power of community, collaboration, and commitment to overcoming the barriers that displaced children face upon their return. Through the concerted efforts of educators, government officials, and international partners, the children of the “Catch UP” programme have begun to weave their own stories of resilience, recovery, and hope, building together on a more accepting and inclusive community.