Government representatives visited Vyšný Mirošov
They would like the school in Mirošov to be Rusyn
Vicechairwoman of the Most-Híd party and current Minister of Justice Lucia Žitňanská, State Secretary of the Ministry of Education Peter Krajňák and the Government Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities Ábel Ravasz visited Vyšný Mirošov. They would accept that the school in this village should be Rusyn.
“These government officials accepted an invitation to our community, for which I thank district party chairman Michal Goriščák very much. They came only here and to Krajná Poľana,” mayor Michal Petraník said at the introduction.
They were at four places in the village. “The meeting took place at the Municipal Office, and then we all went to the school together, where we met with the principal. The school’s roof is in disrepair. We have requested 80,000 Euro for the roof. The state secretary, Mr. Krajňák, promised to help. Small schools in the Slovak Republic are virtually over. But Vyšný Mirošov’s example should be followed in other schools if they want to have one room schools, they could do it like we do. One teacher is practically the school principal and teacher. She teaches the first, second, third and fourth grades. All together, we have 21 children in the school, and we also have one aide. So, that money can be saved, and the allowance can be used all year, which is annually some 40,000 Euro. Teaching at the school normally runs from Monday to Friday, we have first, second, third and fourth grade and they are together in the same classroom. They are divided by grade into rows of desks. For example, first graders will get an assignment, then second graders, and then they move ahead together. They have physical education together, for example. If we want to do this, it must be this practical,” the mayor described teaching in the school.
Will the school in Mirošov be the third Rusyn-language school in Slovakia?
Peter Krajňák asked the mayor if the school also taught the Rusyn language. “We teach in Slovak. But in Slovakia there are few Rusyn schools, so it would be good if ours was also one, so that the first language in our village would be preserved. Mr. Krajňák gave us the idea that we think about it, that we could be a Rusyn school. We would have the Slovak language, but along the way we would also teach the Rusyn language. So that we would be the third Rusyn school in Slovakia,” said Petraník. And the school principal said that this idea was not bad, but she must consult with parents.
Preschool modernized
Then they visited the preschool. “It is renovated. We implemented the reconstruction from our own funds in the amount of 27,000 Euro. New wiring, new pipes, we completely renovated all the spaces. The representative and the secretary complemented the perfect reconstruction. We also changed the windows to plastic, now it’s warmer. In preschool, the children also have Rusyn language class. In the preschool there are 14 Roma children and 10 non-Roma children.
They agreed to assist
Finally, also they visited the Roma settlement, in which 240 inhabitants live. “In my time, during the election period, the settlement also modernized and spruced up, brick buildings that make up 90% of the settlement were added. But one house often has more than one family, often in one building there are five families. As the mayor, I must say that we have good Roma. Ambassadors welcomed us nicely and immediately also promised assistance for retrofitting apartment buildings, which we want to start building in March. We also have an investor. In the Roma settlements, they have a new street. There’s new public lighting, a volleyball court and a nice parking lot for cars.” The mayor thanks the district chairman of the Most-Híd party Michal Goriščák. “Every project is helpful PR for us. For example, the removal of illegal dumps, construction of gutters along local roads and we are together starting to regulate streams and build sewers,” said the mayor.
Source: e-dukla.sk — Translated by Maria Silvestri
