Official inauguration of 34 pre-school units

Živinice (30.05.2013.) – Within a 3-year project (2013-2015) 'Education fit for children in Tuzla Canton – Bosnia and Herzegovina on its path towards the EU“, Save the Children, in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Tuzla Canton and the Pedagogical Institute, provided support to the establishment of pre-school programs in Tuzla Canton, with special focus on remote and rural areas, i.e. communities in which there were no pre-school institutions or programs in the past and where there is a significant number of pre-school age children.

Within this project the equipping of a total of 34 pre-school units for the implementation of mandatory pre-school program, was completed by May 15, 2013 in all 13 municipalities of Tuzla Canton. Apart from equipping of the pre-school units, in May the first in a series of trainings for 94 teachers was held in the area of Early Childhood Care and Development. That training was the precondition for the start of implementation of the mandatory pre-school program in Tuzla Canton in 2013.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the partners in the project, by the end of May all newly established units started to work, enabling 916 children to attend the obligatory pre-school program in the year prior to entering first grade. Save the Children has provided, for each of the locations throughout Tuzla Canton the basic package of equipment for one pre-school unit, containing didactic material, material for activities and furniture with a value of 4.700,00 BAM (2400€). The total value of purchased equipment for 34 units in 2013 amounts to 161.500,00 BAM (82.500€).

This project is a result of partnership and joint effort to enable access to mandatory pre-school education to all children in Tuzla Canton, where Save the Children has provided equipment and training of teachers, while the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports and the Pedagogical Institute of Tuzla Canton, together with local authorities the space (within branch schools) and the funds for the salaries of teachers whom are going to implement the program in all locations.

The official inauguration was held in Primary School ´Dubrave´in Zivinice, with the presence of Mr. Sladjan Ilic, President of the Assembly of Tuzla Canton, Ms. Mersija Jahic, Assistant Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Tuzla Canton, Mr. Adem Sehidic, director of the Pedagogical Institute of Tuzla Canton, Mr. Hasan Muratovic, Major of Municipality Zivinice as well as Ms. Andrea Žeravčić, director of Save the Children.

"Pre-school period of a child's life is of ultimate importance for the life of every person. It is in that period when our potentials are developed and the basis are set for healthy intellectual, social and emotional development. The more stimulating the environment in which a child grows is, the better he or she will develop her potentials. Having exactly this in mind, with joint efforts of Save the Children, Ministry of Education of Tuzla Canton and the Pedagogical Institute of Tuzla Canton, in cooperation with all 13 municipalities of this Canton, 34 pre-school units have been established and inaugurated. That has enabled more than 900 children who otherwise would not have such opportunity to access pre-school education. Today's event is an example of successful partnership between the governmental and non-governmental sector and it demonstrates that if we join our efforts and available resources, we can achieve excellent results and improve quality of education in BiH." indicated Ms. Andrea Žeravčić, director of Save the Children.

By the end of 2015 in Tuzla Canton it is planned to establish at least 34 additional pre-school units, within branch schools in rural and remote areas, as well as the establishment of 4 Centres for Early Childhood Care and Development in Municipalities in which there is no infrastructure for pre-school education. That way, the total number of 68 units in Tuzla Canton will be added to the 70 pre-school units already established throughout BiH during 2011/2012 by Save the Children in cooperation with the relevant educational authorities. That will ensure the existence of a total of 138 pre-school units enabling access to pre-school education to at least 3500 children in BiH in only one three-month cycle of obligatory pre-school education.