A total of 187 migrant children were enrolled in five elementary schools in north-western Una-Sana Canton, of which 40 are already attending classes, Fena news agency reported on Friday, saying that other children are only waiting for medical reports on their health status.

The children who are divided in several age groups are attending integration classes and teachers are working with them according to the Heart programme within which they are learning the Bosnian language through games and art.

The Heart methodology helps children exposed to stress or traumatic experiences, find new ways to study, and express their feelings and experiences through art.

After the evaluation, the authorities will let the children attend regular classes.

“We want as many children to be included in regular classes as soon as possible, so they can attend school with their peers and not be left out. That's our general plan,” UNICEF's official in charge of the education of migrants, Amila Madzak said.

Until then, she said the children must first learn the Bosnian language.

Edina Mehic, the pedagogue in “Prekounje” elementary school, which formed three preparatory classes with 24 children from temporary migrant camps, said that children are divided into three age groups according to the Heart programme.

School is currently the safest place for migrant children. Only here they can be children again, far from worrying about the future that plagues their parents, far from the trauma and stress they experienced on the journey several thousand miles long.

Last year, 25,000 migrants entered the country and competent authorities estimate that there are around 9,000 of them in the country right now.

Migrants started flocking to Bosnia after Bulgaria and Hungary imposed strict border controls and stopped migrants from entering their country, effectively blocking the migrants’ “Balkan route.”

They have no wish of staying in Bosnia or eastern EU member states, though, but want to continue their path to Western EU states like Germany, France and Austria, hoping to find a better life.

Bosnian authorities estimate there are roughly 9,000 migrants in the country at the moment, of which only 8 percent are refugees and the rest are economic migrants.