CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW KINDERGARTEN IN PETROVAC NA MLAVI STARTED

Minister of Education, Ph.D., Slavica DJukic Dejanovic, and the president of the municipality of Petrovac na Mlavi, Dusko Nedinic, ceremonially laid the foundation stone today for the construction of a new kindergarten in Petrovac na Mlava. The new facility will provide 200 new places for children in this municipality and will cover approximately 1350 m2. The Ministry of Education allocated over 184 million dinars for the construction, and it is expected to be completed in the next 12 months.

“The Ministry of Education is resolutely continuing to invest in the preschool education system because we firmly believe that, in this way, we are investing in the future. This is not only the foundation for a new facility but the foundation for a better tomorrow,” said Ph.D. Slavica Djukic Dejanovic.

The Minister emphasized that the Inclusive Preschool Upbringing and Education project, implemented in cooperation with local self-government and with the support of the World Bank, provides the opportunity for every child to grow, learn, and develop in a stimulating environment that will enable them to reach their full potential.

“By building another facility, we are investing in the future of our youngest, and at the same time, we are providing support to their parents,” she said.

Contracts for the financing and construction of a new kindergarten in Petrovac na Mlava were signed in July 2023 at the Ministry of Education.

“Today, in this place, we are literally laying the foundation stone for the future because every project that concerns children and the youngest is an investment in the future. Today, we are starting to solve the decade-long problem of our fellow citizens with waiting lists, and I would add that an equally important aspect of this project is the increase in children’s coverage of preschool education. Every child has the right to unhindered access to preschool education, as an important part of the educational and social process, and that’s exactly what we are providing with the new kindergarten,” said the president of the municipality of Petrovac na Mlavi, Dusko Nedinic, on this occasion.

He pointed out that today proves that all the effort, hard work, and perseverance invested in the fight for better conditions and the future of our youngest fellow citizens were not in vain, and we could not be happier and prouder for that.

“We are grateful to the President of the Republic of Serbia, the Government of the Republic of Serbia, and the Ministry of Education for their support and understanding of the problem we were facing, but also for everything else they do to improve the education sector in our municipality. This is a historic day for the municipality of Petrovac na Mlavi,” he added.

The Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the World Bank, is implementing the construction, extension, adaptation, and equipping of existing facilities on the territory of Serbia as part of the “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project. The implementation of this project, worth 47 million euros, will provide 11,000 new places for children in the preschool education system. The project, in addition to expanding capacity and building preschool institutions, pays special attention to improving the knowledge and skills of professional staff through mentoring support and training for around 12,000 educators. An important aspect of the program is the inclusion of children from the earliest age, as well as the sensitization of the general public and the education of parents about the importance of early development and early inclusion.