KOSOVSKA MITROVICA – Assistant Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development Ljubisa Antonijevic said on Monday that trucks carrying free schoolbooks for children in Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) were kept at the Jarinje crossing over the weekend because of some technical problems.
Antonijevic voiced the hope that this issue will be solved by the end of the day, adding that he is in contact with Belgrade’s Liaison Officer with Pristina Dejan Pavicevic and the Office for Kosovo-Metohija.
“Several days ago, the distribution process within ‘the free schoolbooks project’ began in the entire territory of Serbia. The trucks have been halted at the administrative crossing (Jarinje) since Saturday,” Antonijevic said.
Antonijevic said that the load mostly contains schoolbooks published by the only state-run publishing firm -Institute for Schoolbooks and Teaching Aid, but also some private publishing companies that took part in the tender that the Serbian government called for this project.
Engaging in the marking of the start of the new school year in Kosovska Mitrovica, Antonijevic said that his visit to the province is aimed at sending the message to the population in this part of Serbia that the Serbian government and ministry will continue to look after the interests of pupils and high school students, teachers and parents.
He underscored that the line ministry and the Office for KiM will continue to serve their people and colleagues in the province, especially when it comes to ensuring safe commuting and classes for all children in the territory of Kosovo-Metohija.
He also mentioned that the Serbian parliament will debate changes to the law on higher education this week.
This summer, the ministry has been working on amendments to the umbrella law on education and law on schoolbooks, he added.
