The Mathematical Grammar School in Belgrade received a new computer room, equipped with ten state-of-the-art computers. Outfitting, as well as the adaptation of the classroom, was supported by NIS company within the “Energy of Knowledge” programme.
The cabinet was officially opened by Branko Ruzic, Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, Mladen Sarcevic, Special Adviser for Education of the President and Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Vadim Smirnov, Deputy CEO and Director of the Function for Government Relations and Corporate Communications and Mirjana Katic, director of the Mathematical Grammar School. Symbolically, in the new cabinet, they were welcomed by Dobrica Jovanović, Miloš Miličev and Sara Dragutinović, students of the Mathematical Grammar School who won numerous awards at international competitions.
The NIS donation is especially important this year, when classes are held online due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is also important because modern computer equipment enables the quality of teaching to follow world trends, as the Mathematical Grammar School is the only high school in our country for talented students in the field of mathematics, informatics and natural sciences.
“This school has produced great experts, professors at domestic and foreign universities, more than 500 doctors of science, as well as other experts who are today successful people employed in large companies. Its students won more than 600 medals. That is why this school is one of the five that have been declared schools of national importance. The way of working and learning in this school is specific and requires a dedicated teacher and mentorship, requires good conditions for work and study and requires the attention of the state and the whole society. For all that, I am grateful to NIS for including this school in its “Energy of Knowledge” project, said Branko Ruzic, Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia.
The NIS company and the Mathematical Grammar School have been cooperating for nine years, since the establishment of the “Energy of Knowledge” programme, through which the Company invests in educational and scientific institutions in Serbia.
Vadim Smirnov pointed out that NIS launched the “Energy of Knowledge” program to prepare personnel for the oil industry, and that resulted in scholarships for the best students in the Russian Federation, and most importantly, their return to Serbia.
“It is a great pleasure for me that we are now in the famous Mathematical Grammar School. This is a small contribution, but so far we have equipped more than 60 classrooms. This year, together with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Interior, we will invest in security in schools, which is very important now, “said Smirnov, adding that NIS has invested over 5 million euros in the domestic education system.
Mirjana Katic, the director of the Mathematical Grammar School, emphasized that without such modern computer equipment, students would not be able to attend classes in an adequate way, nor to participate in all major competitions, which were online last year.
“The Mathematical Grammar School has been educating the extraordinary children that this country has for 54 years. Every year the results are getting better, but excellence must be preserved and nurtured. Today, children see an important message in this event – the state and responsible companies want to provide them with the best working conditions, which would be envied by much richer countries, “said Mirjana Katic.
Photo: Mathematical Grammar School in Belgrade
Back in 2013, the NIS Company donated 30 personal computers to the Mathematical Grammar School and took part in outfitting a classroom.
With the support of NIS, the students of the Mathematical Grammar School achieve significant results at the national and international Olympiads of knowledge in mathematics, physics and chemistry. At the International Olympiads alone, the students of this school won 634 medals (87 gold, 233 silver and 314 bronze), which is a rare, if not the only success of one school in the world..
During the solemn event, the attendees were presented with a manual for learning the Russian language “Ni puha ni pera!”, intended for quick mastering of the initial level of this language, published by the Center of the Russian Geographical Society in Serbia, with the support of NIS. it was introduced to the audience by Professor Jelena Ginić from the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade, one of the authors, and Snežana Lakićević, advisor to the Deputy CEO of NIS. On that occasion, several copies of the textbook were given out to the students.
