The City of Zaprešić has signed a contract with Tekton Construction for the construction of a new primary school worth almost 22 million euros. This is the largest educational infrastructure project in the city's history.
The project is funded by non-repayable funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and the contractor was selected through a public procurement procedure. The school will be built on undeveloped land covering 30 tisuća četvornih metara next to the Ban Josip Jelačić Secondary School. The project provides for 28 classrooms, specialised spaces and laboratories, a canteen, a library, and a large three-part and small school sports hall, along with landscaping. Three class units for children with disabilities are also planned.
Contractor director Igor Šeremet announced that works would begin during the summer, with completion in 18 months, barring exceptional circumstances. "We are currently working as the main contractor on four schools, from Slavonia to Dalmatia, and this will be our fifth," Šeremet said, adding that the Zaprešić school is the largest in the current wave of educational facility construction in Croatia.
The new building should resolve spatial issues and enable the transition to single-shift teaching, paving the way for the introduction of full-day schooling. The sports hall will also be used by clubs and associations, and is expected to become the centre of the city's sporting life.
Mayor Željko Turk stated that "this is not just an infrastructure project, but an investment in what we value most – our children and their future, and the long-term development of our city." He reminded that almost 23 million euros have been secured in the city budget for education, excluding the new school. This money is allocated for investments in school facilities and equipment, extended stay programmes, teaching assistants, free textbooks, transport subsidies, and school programmes.
