In addition to the new single and multi-family homes, new educational facilities are increasingly being built back larger, more resilient and more beautiful than the ones that sustained damages due to the devastating earthquake on November 26, 2019. Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Minister of State for Reconstruction Arben Ahmetaj, and the EU Ambassador to Albania Luigi Soreca, today visited “Gjokë Elezi” and “Demokracia” schools being built under the post-earthquake reconstruction programme in the Municipality of Kurbin. The two educational facilities are being reconstructed thanks to the European Union-funded EU4Schools programme. “Gjokë Elezi” is the largest nine-year school in the district, a previously twin building facility which thanks to the Reconstruction Programme, will now feature a single building to house the primary and nine-year education classrooms.
“The two schools are being built thanks to the EU4Schools programme. A fund of €75 million donated by the European Union for more than 60 schools in Albania. We are visiting the second school today that is being built from scratch and we are inspecting the construction quality and this is the EU concrete solidarity of the EU for Albania. The EU funding has been donated to support school construction for more than 25.000 nine-year and high education students. Works will conclude in few weeks and children will go back to their new schools in September 2021. Europe is here,” EU Ambassador Luigi Soreca said.
New “Gjokë Elezi” school is being built on a 5400-meter square site and it will house 28 classrooms and laboratories. “The school we are visiting is part of the second phase. We are about to finalize the first phase being developed through the state budget funds and in the meantime we have launched the second phase, which includes the EU-funded projects to build new quality schools designed to meet contemporary habitability and education standards of best educational facilities in the EU member states. The element I would like to highlight is that the new schools are being built by using insulating panels to provide thermal insulation and energy efficiency to save energy, as well as build a pleasant microclimate both in summer, with cooler environment during summer season, and warmer during winter months. I avail myself of this occasion to extend my appreciation to all our partners and our friend in particular, the EU Ambassador,” PM Rama said.
A total of 4 schools and 2 kindergartens are being built through the EU funds in Kurbin, including “Demokracia” school with 16 classrooms for around 150 schoolchildren.
