LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE CEREMONY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW KINDERGARTEN COMMENCED IN PRIJEPOLJE

Minister of Education Prof. Dr Slavica Djukić Dejanović and the mayor of Prijepolje, Drago Popadić, laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new kindergarten within the Preschool Institution “Miša Cvijović” in Prijepolje, which will be built in this town after 40 years.

“Today, we are here for a special reason – laying the foundation stone for a new kindergarten that will provide 200 new places for children. The strategic goal of our state and the Ministry of Education is to make education accessible to all, to ensure the best conditions for learning and work, to implement the most modern programs, and to encompass a larger number of children through upbringing and education. We achieve this goal by building kindergartens across Serbia, including the one here in Prijepolje, whose construction we start today, and also the one in Čačak, where construction began yesterday,” she stated.

The minister emphasized that building kindergartens contributes to the ‘Leap into the Future 2027’ project.

“There is no better way and better connectivity between local government units, the Ministry of Education, and state policy than when we think in this way about children and creating better conditions for their education,” said Djukić Dejanović, adding that nurturing friendship and diversity, especially in multinational environments like Prijepolje, is very important.

According to her, the new facility in Prijepolje will cover approximately 1,300 square meters, with over 142 million dinars allocated for its construction.

“Our aspiration is to involve as many children as possible in preschool upbringing and education, ensuring that they learn and grow in a stimulating environment,” the minister said, highlighting that special attention is given to the quality of preschool upbringing and education, as it is the foundation for a successful future.

She emphasized the importance of ongoing professional development activities for educators.

Support provided through the “Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care” project also focuses on enhancing the knowledge and skills of educators to implement the new ‘Years of Ascent’ programmatic concept. This support is extended to educators and staff in kindergartens in Prijepolje,” she noted.

Before laying the foundation stone for the new kindergarten, the minister visited Brodarevo and toured the “Srce” kindergarten, which was adapted and equipped under the project and currently serves 90 children. She also visited the “Svetozar Marković” Elementary School in Brodarevo.

Drago Popadić, the president of the municipality of Prijepolje, particularly highlighted the support from the Ministry of Education and the World Bank, recognizing the importance of investing in the education of the youngest.

He stated that children are our future and that investing in their education is the most important step towards building a prosperous society.

“This kindergarten represents the achievement of our goals in the field of education and child care, aiming for every child to have access to kindergarten and to receive equal conditions for preschool development.” He added that the construction of this kindergarten will eliminate waiting lists.

In collaboration with the World Bank, the Ministry of Education is implementing the construction of new, expansion, adaptation, and equipping of existing facilities within the “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care” project across Serbia. A total of 23 kindergartens will be covered by this project, with an investment value of 47 million euros.

You can see the photos here.