Nova Crvenka to get its first kindergarten soon

Young children from Nova Crvenka will soon, for the first time, be able to attend preschool in their own settlement. Thanks to funding from the Ministry and the local government, space in the primary school building will be adapted, allowing children to attend a half-day program lasting four hours in a mixed-age group—from 3 years old until one year before starting school. According to Snežana Bulatović, director of the Bambi Preschool Institution, this will be the 12 facility within the institution, which is working continuously to increase capacity with the support of the Municipality of Kula. Children from Nova Crvenka, who have never had the opportunity to attend preschool in their own village, will finally be able to do so, which will also be a great relief for their parents: “We are in the space that will house the new preschool. This will be the 12 facility within the Bambi Preschool Institution, and for the first time there will be a group in Nova Crvenka. Until now, children in Nova Crvenka have never had the opportunity to attend preschool, but now they will be able to attend a half-day program lasting four hours, in a mixed-age group—from 3 years old until one year before starting school. This space will be renovated using funds allocated under Component Two—inclusive preschool education and care—which has been underway in the Republic of Serbia since 2019. One of the changes in preschool education is the search for premises and funding to open new preschools in places where children have not previously had the opportunity to attend, or to expand capacity. In line with the policies of the Bambi Preschool Institution and the Municipality of Kula, we are continually working to increase capacity, so this was a welcome opportunity. The Ministry’s funding will be used to renovate this space for one preschool group, and then we will equip it using local government funds, submit an application for verification, and hope to welcome the first children very soon, so they and their parents can experience the benefits of attending a preschool institution.” Kula Municipality President Damjan Miljanić also visited the future preschool premises. He said that the preschool in Nova Crvenka would lead to more pupils at the school, which will have two classes enrolling as early as September—a piece of great news. Alongside the expansion of capacity and facilities, staffing is also being increased: during the school break, a 21 permanent employment contract was signed with the Bambi Preschool Institution: “What is very important for the municipality is that this shows no settlement, even the smallest one, such as Nova Crvenka, has been forgotten when it comes to new sports grounds and playgrounds. Now, for the first time, Nova Crvenka will have a preschool. And the Bambi Preschool Institution is expanding not only in terms of capacity and facilities, but also staffing—along with the renovation of facilities, a 21 permanent employment contract was signed with the Bambi Preschool Institution during the school break. These are workers who had previously been employed on fixed-term or temporary, occasional contracts, and who were already essentially doing the job. This is a big deal for the employees themselves, as well as for the institution, which has gained a large number of staff. Facilities and equipment are important, but employees are at the heart of it all—above all, the preschool teachers who carry the entire educational process. Not long ago, a second class opened in Kruščić, the nursery capacity in Sivac was expanded, and capacity in Crvenka was increased with minimal resources. Of course, those capacities are still not sufficient, which is a good thing because more and more children are enrolling in preschools. Project documentation is currently being prepared, and work will begin on adapting and building a preschool in Ruski Krstur, while solutions are also being sought for Kula. In Nova Crvenka, space in the municipal building within the school will be adapted and a preschool will open. The good news is that Nova Crvenka, where not long ago there were just two pupils, will have two classes of pupils from this school year. The operation of the preschool in Nova Crvenka will certainly lead to more pupils at the school, because many children from here previously enrolled in school in Crvenka. Now that they have the full program, everything can operate here as well, which is good news.”