Statistics Competition: High School Students from Busovača Win with Video Story “GDP is to Blame!”

The competition was organized as part of a project funded by the European Union aimed at strengthening the development of the statistical system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The students approached serious, current, and socially important topics in a responsible, creative, and often humorous way.

The winning team came from the Mixed Secondary School Busovača, whose video “GDP is to Blame” transformed complex economic concepts—ranging from trade between BiH and the EU to GDP, employment, and average wages—into a clear and engaging story. The creative team from Trebinje won second place with a video addressing the widespread challenge of excessive internet use, while students from Kiseljak took third place with a statistical portrayal of the gender structure of the population in BiH and the EU.

The final event gathered ten school teams from Banovići, Gradačac, Goražde, Kiseljak, Kalesija, Trebinje, Stolac, Busovača, Vogošća, and Bosanski Petrovac. Through their video stories, students explored a wide range of topics, demonstrating how deeply statistics impact our lives.

“We’re really happy. I have to admit we secretly hoped for a good result, but we honestly didn’t expect to win. We worked hard for a month and truly enjoyed the experience,” said Amina Kurtović, a member of the winning team from Busovača. “This was a wonderful experience for the students—they put in a lot of effort and learned so much, not only about statistics but also about Bosnia and Herzegovina,” added their mentor, Professor Amra Begović. In addition to certificates and individual prizes, the top three teams also secured awards worth 2,000 BAM for their schools, in the form of equipment that will improve learning conditions and further motivate students in their future work.

“Statistics may seem dry to young people—and often to others as well—but it is precisely what ensures objectivity and the reliability of information. High-quality data enable policymakers, as well as citizens, to make fair, informed, and fact-based decisions,” said Mojca Krisper-Figueroa, Team Leader in the Cooperation Section of the EU Delegation to BiH.

Through initiatives like this, the European Union reaffirms its commitment to promoting knowledge, critical thinking, and youth engagement—investing in their future and the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The competition was organized within the EU-funded Twinning Project “EU for the Further Development of the Statistical System in BiH”, in partnership with the project’s beneficiary institutions: the Agency for Statistics of BiH, the Federal Institute of Statistics, the Republika Srpska Institute of Statistics, and the Central Bank of BiH.

This Twinning project is being implemented under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), starting in January 2024, with a duration of 24 months and a total budget of EUR 1,000,000. The project is implemented by EU member states Denmark, Finland, Italy, and Slovenia.