Bosnian Serb Autistic Teen Allowed to Return to School

An empty classroom at the primary school Photo:EPA-EFE/Leszek Szymanski POLAND OUT

Natalija Trivic, Republika Srpska's Minister of Education and Culture, confirmed on Friday that 19-year-old Slavko Mrsevic, who has autism, may attend graduate classes with his peers after he was initially barred from attending high school.

At a meeting between the minister, Mrsevic's father and the family's lawyer on Friday, it was decided that Slavko will be allowed to attend the school prom and to continue his education, which he has not been allowed to do for three years.

The decision comes after Human Rights Watch, HRW, published an open letter to Trivic, urging her ministry to ensure Mrsevic returns to school as soon as possible - and ensure no child is denied education on the basis of their disability.

Mrsevic had been prevented by the school and the ministry from attending high school in the eastern Bosnian town of Rudo since 2016 because of his disability.

He attended the first grade of the school for several months 2014 and 2015, but was barred from the school following the diagnosis.

The family then filed a lawsuit. The Basic Court in Visegrad ruled on March 25 in favour of Mrsevic. But on April 4, the ministry decided to overrule the school's decision to allow Mrsevic back following the first-instance judgment.

In its letter, HRW reminded the ministry that Bosnia risked breaking the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which it had ratified.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, of which Bosnia is also as part, says that people with disabilities have the right to inclusive primary and secondary education.

HRW in its report published in January this year noted little visible progress on human rights...