School inaugurated in the campaign, without electricity or heating

In a new school in Peja, students are attending classes on a reduced schedule, having lost entire days due to the lack of electricity and heating. The school building was inaugurated during the local election campaign, even though it was not previously connected to the electricity grid.

The "Vaso Pashë Shkodrani" primary school building in Peja was inaugurated during the campaign, without being connected to the electricity supply network.

As a result, since November, students at the new school have been attending classes on a reduced schedule, while since December they have missed five full days of classes due to the cold.

A parent of a student said on condition of anonymity that the trouble started when the school ribbon was cut.

"For example, the lesson that was held until 12:10, they shortened it to 11:10. Now it started a few days ago, let the weather be cooler, let them inform us a day in advance that 'there will be no lesson tomorrow due to lack of fuel'. The Parents' Council decided. That is, let them inform us in this form," said the parent of a student who attends school.

He points out that learning often takes place in low temperatures.

"They stayed in class wearing thick clothes. That's how the lesson was held. Naturally, it's worrying that as a result of this they could get sick and then there are consequences for the child," he said.

The school's principal, Syndyze Loxha, says that the new facility has not yet been connected to the electricity supply network.

"We are not connected to the electricity grid because the transformer is missing, so the school is operating on a generator. This is the problem we have. We have simply worked on reduced hours. Every decision we have made has not been made on our own without the approval of the Directorate of Education. From time to time we have had to interrupt or shorten classes due to power outages," said Loxha.

The Director of Education in the Municipality of Peja, Naser Gega, justified the opening of the school without being connected to the electricity grid and blamed the problem on KEDS.

"Why was it decided, that things are not up to us. The inauguration of the school, technically the school was in order, the municipality opened the tender for the installation of the transformer and the procedure went completely smoothly and the transformer was supposed to be installed on November 1, but considering this mentality of ours, one party complained about that tender and all the procedures had to be repeated. The repetition is taking two months and something, and now I am where I am", he said and explained why the school opened its doors to students. "Back then we had no problem, heating was not necessary and it was thought that on November 1, the electric heating would be regulated. Earlier during the summer we thought there was a transformer near the school. KEDS did not give consent to connect to that transformer and things were automatically prolonged and very quickly the tender offers for the installation of the transformer were opened".

Gega said that KEDS this week gave its consent for the transformer, for the installation of which a company has been contracted.

Unlike the Director of Education and the school principal, opposition representatives said that the lack of fuel for heating is also a problem.

Vetëvendosje assemblyman, Ardit Gërvalla, accused the local government of management incompetence.

"They blame KEDS, but based on what the parents are saying, their justification is the lack of fuel, in this case pellets. Naturally, this is also a lack of proper management and proper planning by the municipality," he said. "No meeting has been held in the Municipal Assembly where we, as assembly members and as a political party, can raise the concerns of both parents and students."

And, the Director of Education said that due to the lack of pellets, only one day of classes were not held, while emphasizing that other difficulties stem from the generator not being able to handle the energy load.

"We only had a problem with pellets for supply one day, but the main problem is that we have to work with the large generator and there are technical breakdowns from time to time, even though it is new, but we are compensating for it in that way," said Gega.

The “Vaso Pashë Shkodrani” school is not the only one in the Municipality of Peja that has problems with electricity and heating. The “7 Shtatori” school in Vitomiricë is also facing them.