5. October. 2023

THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO NEW KINDERGARTEN WILL START SOON IN LESKOVAC AND CICEVAC

Contracts for the financing and construction of new kindergartens in Leskovac and Cicevac were signed today at the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia. The contracts were signed by the Minister of Education, Ph.D. Slavica DJukic Dejanovic, President of the Municipality of Cicevac, Mirjana Krkic, Deputy Mayor of Leskovac, Lidija Dimitrijevic, and representatives of the contractors.

The construction of two new kindergartens will provide a total of 320 new places for children, with 120 in Leskovac and 200 in Cicevac. The new facility in Leskovac will cover about 780 square meters, with an investment of over 102 million dinars. More than 174 million dinars will be invested in the construction of the new kindergarten in Cicevac, which will cover an area of approximately 1,360 square meters. The planned deadline for the completion of the works is 8 months from the laying of the foundation stone.

“The signing of the contract for the financing and construction of two new kindergartens, with a total value of about 277 million dinars, confirms the commitment of the Ministry of Education to improving the preschool education system. By building new facilities and expanding capacity, we continue with our mission to support the development and education of children from the earliest age. We believe that their inclusion in the system of pre-school education and care is crucial, representing the foundation for their happy childhood, further education, as well as their entire future,” said Minister of Education, Ph.D. Slavica DJukic Dejanovic.

“Carolija” preschool operates in a central building in Cicevac itself, which was built in 1956 for the needs of the ambulance at the time and adapted in 1972 for the needs of the preschool in which it still operates. Further adaptation of such an old building is not possible, and our current needs and the number of children exceed this space. The construction of a new kindergarten will completely change the picture of preschool education for children in our municipality. The biggest benefit will be for our youngest and their parents, and after that, the local self-government, as they will invest fewer funds in the adaptation and repairs of the dilapidated building and its installations. It is particularly significant that our youngest will receive a space built according to the latest standards, where they will develop and grow up in the most sensitive period of their lives,” said Mirjana Krkic, President of the Municipality of Cicevac.

The Deputy Mayor of Leskovac, Lidija Dimitrijevic, mentioned that the city of Leskovac approaches education with dedication and allocates more funds for this area every year, considering it a supporting pillar of the development of the entire society.

“The new facility of the Preschool “Vukica Mitrovic” will increase the capacity for children to stay in kindergartens, which will not fully meet the needs of our city, but it is a step closer to solving the situation we are in. We will build another pleasant and safe place where preschool upbringing and education takes place – a kindergarten where children will enjoy learning and feel safe to explore and do new things,” said Deputy Mayor Dimitrijevic.

The construction of two new kindergartens is part of the “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project, which the Ministry of Education is implementing with the support of the World Bank and in cooperation with local governments. The project, in addition to expanding the capacity of preschool institutions, pays special attention to improving preschool education through the introduction of the New Foundations of the Program, as well as the knowledge and skills of professional staff through mentoring support and training for educators. The plan is to build and upgrade a total of 23 facilities in 22 local governments, providing a total of 11,000 new places for children. Additionally, more than 12,000 educators will receive mentoring support and training. An important aspect of the program is the inclusion of children from the earliest age. The total value of the project is 47 million euros.

You can see the photos here.