According to local traditions, the
cross decorated with flowers and homespun (called "kendező")
has been placed on the newly built House of the Children of Lábnyik,
showing that the house has been built, the timber-work has been completed.
As it can be seen in the photos, construction works get on very well,
although it needs further financial sources to ensure the installation
of windows and doors, plastering over walls, making water-piping,
ceiling, fence, etc. In case you feel you can contribute to the completion
of the house in any way, please, help the children
and teachers of Lábnyik! The house would become the place for
Hungarian lessons held in Lábnyik, that are held now in an attic room
with very tough conditions, rented by MCSMSZ in the village.
This schoolyear, intra- and extracurricular Hungarian lessons started
in Lábnyik too, under the leadership of two of our teachers: Attila
Orbán and Zsuzsa Sütő. The number of children learning Hungarian in
Lábnyik has been increased well, today 80% of the school-age children
visit Hungarian lessons regularly.
After a succesful school year start
at home we eagerly awaited the beginning of the new school year here
in Frumosza. Since we had only moved to the village only a month ago,
we only knew a few of the children. We did learn from them though
that there are more then 50 children. who attend the Hungarian class.
The school opener was set for Friday
at 3 PM, and we prepared, outdoors due to the heat, 7 benches for
the children and 1 table for the teacher. We were prepared to write
down the names of the children attending.
The gate opened at 2PM and by 2:30 PM all the seats were taken on
the benches. By 3 PM there was a total chaos!
There were many children attending, noise was tremendous, just very
chaotic but we succeeded to quiet them down a bit and introduced ourselves,
Then we begun writing down the names. A little blond girl stood up
first and said: "Aparaschivei Tereza". I asked her again
and I can hear her too, but somehow my hand does not obey my brain.
In the meantime, the gate opens constantly and more and more children
are entering but there are no more benches or seats.
I ask her name again and she repeats it but I only hear that someone
in the back asks me: "Mrs. Teacher, should we say our Hungarian
or Romanian names?" An older girl drags a little boy forward
"this is Jemil and he is in the first grade but he can not write
yet".
I furtively look for the eyes of my husband who is bringing out the
last benches for the 30 or so children who did not have seats.
We decide to change plans and ask the children to write their names
down individually on a piece of paper. But right away come the quetions
anew: "Jemil can not write yet" "Should Dane write
down the name of all his brothers, even though they are not present?"
The kids are busy writing and we catch our breaths and our eyes meet.
The writing progresses very slowly and the older ones are getting
bored. In 10 minutes we start a new list then a thisrd and fourth.
Everyone is writing and the questions are flying. In the meatime I
am looking over to our dog, Helga, a commondor, who is enduring the
petting of strange 20 children and I am worried the she can’t get
any air in the crowd.
Finally, the lists are completed and we have a 104 children present,
a last photo session and a last call out to the kids not to pick all
the apples from our only tree.
The last children depart, leaving behind a mountain of apple cores
and a ironed out dog from the petting.
We sit down front of our house, grasping our lists and think to oursleves
that it will be good here; the children are friendly and eager to
learn. What else is more important?!
We wish everyone a happy and succcesful new school year.
We can get a good insight into the 2005/2006
school year in Csango land, if we download the nearly one-hour film
made by Szilárd Dáné. The film was shot at different locations in May
2006 during the inspection tour of Szilárd Dáné, the Hungarian language
supervisor. We can witness the inspector’s previous TV experiences in
the movie, since the material is a well edited. The pictures function
as support to the inspector’s written report. At the same time it is
important to note that the film does not place education in a wider
social context. Its aim is to introduce the locations of Hungarian education
village by village. Due to the sensitivity of the school directors,
the inspector could use the camera only at few places in the state schools.
Therefore, most of the locations that appear in the film are outside
schools.
Our dear acquaintances, patrons of our
pupils have re-started the club with great energy and enthusiasm. I
was also invited to the founding meeting, which was held in Budapest
in the Háló Közösségi Ház on 28. August 2006.
The idea to hold together not only the Moldovan children learning Hungarian
within the framework of the godparent programme, but also their patrons
was already mentioned during the summer. Lajos Gyöngyössy, godparent
has organised collective trips two times to Moldova in the past months.
During these visits the patrons could meet the children they are supporting
and get an insight into their daily lives and habits.
During this collective summer programme came about the need that the
godparents not only at travelling, but also at the camping of the children,
the collection of study materials or at the organisation of charity
events could also unite.
Apart from the purpose of the meeting the discussion was mainly about
questions regarding the godparent programme. Together with Szilvia Róka
we gave a summary on the history of Hungarian eduction in Moldova. We
talked about what we managed to achieve so far thanks to the godparents'
financial contributions, and we also mentioned our ideas, plans for
the new year.
We follow this initiative with curiosity and we trust that this idea
will bring our common cause further.
Melinda Hegyeli, coordinator of the programme "Become a Godfather,
Godmother You too!"
Just before the start of the school
year, problems have risen in point of the approval of Hungarian lessons.At
most places the number of Hungarian lessons have been drastically reduced,
the application forms send up already in February-April have been neglected.
It seemed that Hungarian lessons within the public education can not
be started in time, at most places it became impossible to make the
timetable and to huddle pupils up in as little as 104 hours per week
approved by the School-Inspectors of County Bákó, instead of 190 hours.
However, at the request of the Association of Csango-Hungarians in Moldova,
the under-secretary of the Romanian Ministry for Education, Gabriella
Pásztor visited Bákó County on 14 September and the problems of school
year start at public schools seem to be solved. Mrs. Pásztor took her
bearings at three stations (Lészped, Klézse and Rekecsin). After her
visits, she had a talk with Ovidiu Cojocaru, chief school-inspector
of County Bákó, who afterwards signed the assignment for the necessary
number of Hungarian lessons, relating to all Hungarian teachers of the
county.
That way, school year started in Csángóföld too, on Friday, 15 September.
Our teachers took part at the opening ceremonies. Hopefully, no under-secretary
contribution will be needed in the future to ensure legitimacy in point
of Hungarian lessons held in County Bákó.
