The group of professors and teachers in Australian city of Sydney not wanting to allow their children to forget their language culture and tradition, founded Bosnian Ethnic School in 1994. Today, this school is an equal member of the Federation of Community Language Schools in the area of New South Wales, a few years ago Bosnian language has been introduced as an elective subject in secondary schools. Children with Bosnian roots living in Australia show great interest and desire to learn as much as possible about Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite the fact that they feel as a part Australian society and have a better command of the English language. Language classes at BES are held every weekend for two hours, in Bosnian, and approximately fifty students are educated every year.
COMMUNITY LANGUAGES SCHOOL PROGRAM
Bosnian Ethnic School is community language school and part of NSW Community Languages School Program.
The NSW Community Languages Schools Program offers classes in more than 60. different community languages.
Classes are held outside normal school hours, usually at local government schools and families may be asked to pay a small fee to enrol their child. They are open to any school-aged student attending a NSW government, private or independent school. In NSW more than 36,000 students attend every year.
In NSW almost one third of school students have family ties to a community language other than English.
The department helps school students learn and use their own community language – and learn more about their culture – through the NSW Community Languages Schools Program.
Community languages schools also help students who are preparing for the Higher School Certificate through the Outside Tutor Scheme and students who are learning a new language for the first time.
Every week more than 3,000 community languages school teachers prepare and present lessons in NSW outside normal school hours.
Community languages schools are supported by grants funded by the NSW government but are run by parents and community leaders.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
Communities, families and students value the NSW Community Languages Schools Program. The program helps students learn and use another language and connects young Australians to the language, heritage and culture of their community.
It also helps build strong communities and it helps build respect in Australia for our many different cultures. Bosnian Ethnic School is operating from 4 classrooms.