MEROSINA – EXAMPLE OF GOOD PRACTICE

The First Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Serbia and the Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development Branko Ruzic, and the President of the Municipality of Merosina, Sasa Jovanovic laid the foundation stone for the construction of a kindergarten of about 640 m2 in Merosina, which will provide 80 new places for children.

In this way, we provide the best support to parents because we delete waiting lists and enable children to stay in adequate space, with professional-pedagogical supervision of educators, while parents dedicate their time to their business obligations. The project is worth 48.7 million dinars, and the works are expected to be completed in 12 months, “said the Minister of Education at the ceremony on the occasion of the beginning of construction, adding that the kindergarten in Merosina is just one in a series that the Ministry is building with the support of the World Bank and the Inclusive Preschool Project education.

The Minister pointed out that the municipality of Merosina has been involved in this project from the beginning.

“Apart from the construction of this facility, so far, with the support of the Project, even six new rooms for the school program in five villages of this municipality have been adapted, over 100 children have been enrolled who have not left the budget and preschool programs have been provided, the transport has been organized for the children from distance places. Also, the organisatiors have been organized workshops for parents who are part of inclusive groups. For these activities, Merosina received non-refundable funds of 4.8 million dinars “, said the Minister and stated that Merosina, given the results so far for the new activities of the organization of the preschool program in the village of Balicevac 1,2 milion dinars will receive.

Sasa Jovanovic, the president of the municipality of Merosina, pointed out that the construction of a new kindergarten in Merosina is of exceptional importance, primarily because the accommodation capacities are increasing and the waiting lists of children in the kindergarten are being abolished.

In addition, we are replacing the almost ruined building of the preschool institution with a completely new one, which will provide children with better conditions for spending time in the kindergarten, and this will automatically provide better quality time spent there. The new kindergarten building will also bring easier working conditions for employees, which will now, with more enthusiasm, enable easier and better education for our children, “Jovanović pointed out.

The project of inclusive preschool education is being realized with the help of a World Bank loan. The total amount of the loan is 47 million euros. The goal of the Project is to improve the quality of the preschool system, with special emphasis on increasing the availability of preschool education for children from socially inclusive groups. The project mostly provides for the construction of new or extension of existing buildings in 35 local self-government units in Serbia.