Old Town Municipality Finances Mjedenica Institute Project

The Old Town Municipality has allocated funds to finance a project supporting students with speech and language disorders in elementary schools in the Old Town area. The project is being implemented by the Mjedenica Institute for Special Education and Child Rearing, and the agreement was signed today by the Mayor of the Old Town Municipality, Ibrahim Hadžibajrić, and the Director of the Mjedenica Institute, Selmir Hadžić. The Old Town Municipality continuously supports the work of the Institute. 5,000 KM has been allocated for this project, while around 15,000 KM is allocated annually to support the work of this Institute, reports Patria agency.

- Today we signed an agreement to finance the work of a speech therapist with children who have speech problems, and we will transfer the funds within 24 hours. We have supported this project of the Institute, as well as numerous others, so we allocate around 15,000 KM annually for their work. The Mjedenica Institute is attended not only by children from the Old Town, but also from other city municipalities, and even from another entity, so we can say that it is significant for the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina - said Mayor Ibrahim Hadžibajrić.

The cooperation between the Old Town Municipality and the Mjedenica Institute, according to the director Selmir Hadžić, is continuous and represents a good example of local community support.

- The primary goal is to help children with developmental disabilities, students who are included in regular classes. The Municipality not only supports the work of its elementary schools, but also the Mjedenica Institute. Unfortunately, the capacities for supporting children with developmental disabilities are at a very low level, especially for children who are in regular schools and are not included in the educational process - said Hadžić.

He added that it would be beneficial for such children if this served as an example for other local communities.

- Every municipality in the Sarajevo Canton has similar centers for the upbringing and education of children with developmental disabilities, and they could make their resources available to children with disabilities who are in regular schooling. We are currently fighting for this to be a systemic solution and for the competent ministries to recognize it - said Hadžić.

Today's visit to the Mjedenica Institute was also an opportunity to socialize with the beneficiaries on the occasion of the start of the new school year. The students received sweet packages with cookies prepared by the Chipas cafe-confectionery, and after socializing, Mayor Ibrahim Hadžibajrić toured the Institute's premises and the students in class.