National.

The Government is set to build a hundred new primary and secondary schools under partnership with the private sector, as well as a hundred new gymnasiums.

Macedonian PM Nikola Gruevski announced this at today's press conference in Skopje, adding that the entire project foresees also supplying of as many as 150.000 computers.

"The private companies will be offered to invest in construction of schools that will be in their ownership under concession license for a certain period, in which the local self-government will pay them rental fees", Gruevski said, adding that the Government will increase appropriation of funds to the Municipalities during the first years to assist payment of rental fee.

Gruevski explained that the Municipal Mayors would be entitled to specify the number and locations of the new schools, while the public biddings for their construction would be announced soon, but gave no details as to the building deadlines.

"The goal is to bring schoolchildren and students closer to the schools", Gruevski said, adding that the Government aims to cancel the third and the second school shifts.

Macedonian PM said the projects will be executed through a EUR40 million loan, due to be approved by the European Bank for Development and Reconstruction in June.

MD: Great initiative! Macedonia's school situation is very poor, it's time for improvement

[MakFax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at 11:47 pm | Permalink