Today, Minister of European Integration and National IPA Coordinator Jadranka Joksimović has signed the amendments to the Financial Agreement on EU budget support in the area of education reform, where EUR 1.8 million will be intended for supporting the education of children coming from socially vulnerable families.
Today’s signing of the aforementioned amendments has enabled unused funds in the amount of EUR 1.8 million to be allocated for tackling the effects of the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, in light of all the challenges Serbia has been facing due the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister Joksimović has submitted a proposal to Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi suggesting the reallocation of the unused IPA funds.
According to the press release, in March this year, Joksimović proposed that the unused funds be reallocated for the purpose of facing the health crisis and tackling the negative socio-economic effects of the pandemic.
“The funds that have been saved within the Sector Budget Support programme in the area of education will be intended for supporting the education of children coming from socially vulnerable families,” stated Joksimović.
She has added that the funds will be used to ensure support for the development, standardisation and monitoring of inclusive systems for digital learning, creating a library for information and communication technologies, and for the development of the capacities of school staff for providing psychosocial support and learning assistance to students from vulnerable groups, all in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joksimović has also stated that the support will be implemented in cooperation with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
She has stressed that this support is only one portion of the assistance the EU has provided to Serbia in the fight against the pandemic, and has thanked partners from the EU for their timely and extensive support.
“The severity of the situation and the extent of the challenges the world is facing can only be overcome through joint efforts, and, through its support, the EU has once again demonstrated its solidarity with Serbia,” said Joksimović.
In addition, several days ago, Joksimović signed an agreement in the area of the public administration reform, which enabled unused funds in the amount of EUR 18 million to be allocated for overcoming the socio-economic effects of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Tanjug
