The newly-built “16 Shtatori” high school building in Shijak is ready to welcome its students and teachers around a year after the devastating earthquake that hit the country on Nov 26 last year. The new educational facility has a much bigger floor area than the previous building destroyed by the earthquake and has now opened doors to around 350 students who attend classes in new spaces for contemporary education.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Mayor of Shijak Elton Arbana, and the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Evis Kushi, visited the school premises that meet best European standards. “What is interesting about this high school is that it had a total of 318 students but their number has now increased as many students from other schools have chosen to attend classes in this brand new school that is now a much larger, safer and more resilient building,” Shijak Mayor said.

This high school, just like all other new educational facilities being built under the Reconstruction Program, is designed to serve as a community center to host various events after school hours. “The original project envisaged a school building with nine classrooms, but taking notice of the growing number of students who would attend this school, we reviewed the project to build a school with 13 classrooms,” Arbana said.

Prime Minister Rama stressed that the new educational facilities are being built to the highest quality. The Prime Minister also attended a face-to-face class, where for a few minutes he explained to the students some basic basketball moves.