EU Support for Energy Efficiency Improvement at the Karađorđe Primary School in Velika Plana

The reconstruction of the school building, which includes joinery replacement, installation of new flooring and the thermal insulation of the facade, will be carried out in accordance with the energy efficiency principles, which will help reduce energy consumption, heating costs and the level of pollution in the municipality.

"The most important thing is that our 230 pupils, as well as the employees in the central school building will now have better learning and working conditions," said the director of the Karađorđe Elementary School, Aleksandar Skačkov, noting that this school comprised eight other regional schools attended by a total of 550 pupils.

As Director Skačkov said, the school has a long tradition – it is among 100 educational institutions established in Serbia in 1904 to celebrate the centenary of the First Serbian Uprising. It was expanded in 1968 and a sports hall was added to it in 1972.

"The Municipality of Velika Plana, with the support of the European Union and the Government of the Republic of Serbia, is working on the refurbishment of all school buildings on its territory, which will be energy efficient after the renovation, with the aim of ensuring that pupils in Velika Plana have equal educational conditions in urban and rural areas,” said Igor Matković, Velika Plana Mayor, which financially participates in the implementation of the project with about 20 percent of its total value, which amounts to 24,245 Euros.

The special attention will be given to activities related to the implementation of good governance principle that will regulate the spending of the funds saved through improved energy efficiency. These activities are carried out in partnership with the Swiss PRO programme supported by the Government of Switzerland.

The contractor is Tehnomag Proing from Kraljevo, selected through the procurement procedure conducted by the municipality of Velika Plana, while the deadline for completion of the works which started in early July is 60 days.

The project Energy Efficiency Improvement in the Karađorđe Primary School in Velika Plana is funded by the European Union in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Serbia through the EU PRO programme. The project’s complementary activities related to the implementation of good governance principles are carried out in cooperation with the Swiss PRO programme supported by the Government of Switzerland.