New building of Vrhbosna Elementary School opened

After more than twenty years, "Vrhbosna" Elementary School is once again operating at full capacity and meets all the needs for the unimpeded conduct of the teaching process for 290 students from Mošćanica. The newly built facility, the so-called Lamela II at "Vrhbosna" Elementary School, which was completely destroyed in the war, was officially opened today. Its construction was financed by the Municipality of Stari Grad, allocating funds from the budget on an annual basis, with a total investment of around 330,000 KM. The complete investment cost nearly half a million marks. The Federal Ministry of Education allocated 100,000 KM, and the Turkish military mission in BiH donated about 30,000 KM, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

The official opening of the facility was attended by the Mayor of Stari Grad Municipality, Ibrahim Hadžibajrić, with his associates, the President of the Stari Grad Municipal Council, Jusuf Pušina, with his deputies, the Prime Minister of the Sarajevo Canton Government, Elmedin Konaković, and the Minister of Education, Science, and Youth in the Sarajevo Canton, Elvir Kazazović.

Mayor Hadžibajrić reminded that the construction of this facility took eight years.

- The works were carried out in stages over the last eight years, because the Municipality does not have such a budget to allocate the necessary funds immediately, but we have managed to reach the end. I hope that extended stay for children will also be established in these new classrooms of "Vrhbosna" Elementary School, which would greatly ease the burden on parents - said Hadžibajrić.

He added that the entire school has been renovated, both the interior and exterior, and that the sports hall has been reconstructed and the sports field next to the school has been arranged.

- Also, the construction of a children's playground next to this school has just been completed, which we will open soon - said Hadžibajrić.

The Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton, Elmedin Konaković, said that on behalf of the Government, he wants to express respect and gratitude to the local community for participating in this project and financing the construction of the school.

- Teachers are the most important segment of this society because they lay the foundation for the education of our children, and therefore I thank the Municipality of Stari Grad for recognizing this and investing funds in the construction of this school. I wish the students to spend their time quality in their new classrooms and to be good students and good people - said Prime Minister Konaković.

The school principal, Erzumana Fukelj, said that it is a special pleasure to open such a facility on the eve of the celebration of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Independence Day.

- Our school is attended by 292 students, and they have all been eagerly awaiting this day and entering the new classrooms. Until now, students were in improvised cabinets, which certainly affected the quality of teaching. Now all cabinets have brand new furniture and are made according to the highest European standards - said the principal. She especially thanked the former school principal, Mirsad Lelo, who initiated this project and without whom, as she said, the school would not have been built. Hadžibajrić, Lelo, the Service for Education, Culture, and Sport, and others deserving for the realization of this project were presented with certificates of appreciation today.

The new building has seven fully equipped classrooms and a school library. The facility has 720 m2 of usable area, and thanks to the new infrastructure, the teaching schedule has also changed, so students from Mošćanica now attend only the first shift.