The already rejuvenated school “24 maji” is now ready to welcome its 500 schoolchildren after undergoing a total reconstruction project funded by Vlora Municipality so that the educational facility meets contemporary standards for habitability and environmental comfort and provide spaces for contemporary education and become a model of the transformation.

Prime Minister Edi Rama visited the nine-year school building with its previously barren spaces now transformed into contemporary sports grounds.

“This school has been built 80 years ago and it has a considerable number of students and a highly trained and professional teaching staff. This school has produced skilled and renowned professionals, as well as celebrated sportsmen over the years. Some of the prominent representatives of science and culture have been included in the school’s history and with the new reconstruction project we expect that this educational facility will provide comfortable and more qualitative spaces for contemporary education and teaching,” the school principal said.

Vlora Mayor Dritan Leli noted that the school’s new infrastructure is incomparable to the old school building and that Vlora Municipality authorities are constantly coordinating work with the Regional Education Directorate officials and the school principals to commence a successful academic year in full compliance with the anti-Covid guidelines endorsed by the Ministry of Education. “This previously completely unsuitable space has now been transformed into a sports ground. The facility also features a tennis court that was built with the support of friends and the Municipality, as well as a basketball and volleyball court, which can also be used for every other kind of sports. It is matchless when considering what this area used to be previously. We can openly state that this educational facility now meets highest standards in whole territory of the Municipality of Vlora, which is now ready to welcome its students as the teaching staff has made every effort to make sure that new academic year begins in compliance with the anti-Covid guideline. We are all coordinating work to ensure a positive situation,” Mayor Leli said.

Praising local government authorities and education officials for the measures they have taken, PM Rama called for maximum commitment of the entire teaching staff to patiently explain the situation to schoolchildren and make sure that measures aimed at protecting their health are strictly observed.

“This is a tremendous we and primarily you are about to face, because you will have to cope with the situation on daily basis during this new academic year. We had to make this extremely hard decision. And indeed, every country is making such a decision. It is a very difficult decision to be made, because, even though children are less likely to contract, spread or suffer from Covid-19, first this is not true for every kid. Secondly, children could be less likely to suffer, yet they can spread the virus in their families. In the meantime, as it is the case in other countries, the number of new Covid-19 cases will grow. On the other hand, the psychological impact on kids that school closures can have is also incredibly tremendous and the effects of schools closings could be detrimental. In choosing between the two, we have decided to make this choice, but in making this choice you have a specific role to adopt the strictest approach possible. This is a matter of being strict, but also patient, because succeeding in the efforts to protect the schoolchildren’s health cannot be achieved by yelling and imposing your will on kids, but by patiently explaining them the situation. Will it be possible for me to explain my son Zaho why he shouldn’t meet his friend, why he should maintain a physical distance, wear a face mask and why he should wash his hands frequently? This is extremely difficult at a time when we all have been taught and we have been telling our kids to shake hands and embrace their friends. On the other hand, it is vitally important to work together with parents so that they become part of this effort. Work should be done to compress the entire world of the kids into a frame, yet without discouraging and constraining them and without creating deformations in terms of perception. It is important to tell them this is situation is temporary and we will overcome it, although it would be really hard to explain them this temporariness. In other words, this is a tremendous challenge. You share this burden, but you should also work together with teachers. Teachers are not to blame for being distressed and you should make sure that the guideline issued by the Ministry of Education is rigorously implemented with no more than 20 pupils in a classroom. It is a colossal work you should do and it is only you who can do that and nobody else. Your leadership as regional education officials and school principals is of primary importance. You should never shift your focus; lose your patience and commitment. And you should do this every day because nobody knows for sure when this is going to end. You should also cooperate with municipal officials and health officials intensively,” the Premier concluded.