The Teachers' Council (Bakhchisaray)

The activities of this organization are directed to the establishment and further development of the Crimean Tatar national education system. The Council was officially registered in October 1994, with the purpose of developing the educational system by establishing schools with curriculum in Crimean Tatar language.

The Teachers' Council is involved in the following activities:

• assists in organizing continuing education courses for teachers;
• conducts seminars for teachers on using the new effective methods of teaching in cooperation with Polish educational organizations;
• makes arrangements for visits to other countries, aimed at learning about their educational systems and new technologies;
• organizes free-time and out-of-school activities for children;
• prepares and disseminates method books and guides for teachers;
• helps create similar organizations in other regions of Crimea;
• discusses educational issues in mass-media;

There are 5 Council members who have passed the training courses of the Polish Foundation for Education for Democracy. The Teachers' Council has successfully implemented a number of projects, including the "Civic Education" and "The Crimean School - Steps Towards 21st Century," supported by the International Renaissance Foundation, International Organization for Migration, and the Eurasia Foundation.

Update on 1999 Activities:

Members of the Teachers' Council participated in many seminars, round tables and conferences relating to the problems of education in general and of instruction in native languages in particular. The issues of national education in Crimea, including the shortcomings and successes of newly opened Crimean Tatar national schools, are widely discussed at these meetings.

There is a close cooperation between the Teachers' Council and similar organizations in other countries. For instance, Belorussian activists expressed an interest in the work of the Council and would like to organize joint seminars and training sessions.

The Council continues to work with the Polish Foundation for Education for Democracy (FED). Recently, a seminar for members of National Mejlis (self-governing body of the Crimean Tatar people) was organized with the assistance of the FED. At this seminar, there was an interesting exchange of opinions on such democratic principles as basics of negotiation, determining goals and ways to achieve them, and holding conferences, meetings and congresses. Seminar participants (executive officers of regional Mejlis branches) said they would like to have similar seminars at the regional level.

In July and August, the Council members took part in a seminar that was organized by the Polish FED and Tashkent Center for Public Education (Uzbekistan). The seminar was attended by secondary school teachers from Central Asian countries.

In addition, the Council conducted a seminar on self-governance at the Crimean Tatar school in Stary Krym on 14-15 August. Five schools were represented by their students and teachers. Again, the seminar was organized with the cooperation of FED trainers.

After two-year long negotiations with government authorities, a new school with instruction in Crimean Tatar language was opened in Bakhchisaray on 1 September, along with 55 other secondary schools throughout Ukraine. The National Mejlis Chairman Mustafa Jemilev (MP), Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Kunitsin, and other officials attended the ceremony. The President Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine sent a telegram congratulating the new school.

Address:
43, Ostrovsky Street, Bakhchisaray
334410 Crimea, Ukraine
Tel / fax: (+38 06554) 47111
e-mail: tc@ttt.crimea.com 

Chairperson: Mrs. Dilara Seitvelieva

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