Since the mayor of Tirana has taken the seal with him to his cell and from there is "dusting off" the garbage from the capital, as his propaganda machine is careful to inform, the reality on the ground for thousands of families is completely different.
September brought the start of the new year once again in Tirana's kindergartens and nurseries, but side by side with classrooms overcrowded beyond any normative capacity, parents are facing an invisible, but heavy financial bill for their pockets.
Coconut water for hot days
In these days where temperatures continue to be high, the most minimal sanitary needs are being covered directly by the families themselves. Parents are buying drinking water for their children themselves, as the basic supply in these institutions is either lacking or does not guarantee safety.
But the "demands" don't stop at water. Kindergarten and nursery school directors, taking care not to leave any sign or trace in official communication channels, are asking parents to make investments that should be covered by the municipality's budget.
Sources for VNA indicate that in many kindergartens and nurseries, parents are pooling money from their own pockets to buy:
Heating and cooling equipment (air conditioners or heaters),
Curtains for windows,
Carpets and cabinets for children's rooms.
Handwritten "secret" lists: From soap to playdough
Of course, this beginning of September could not be without an informal list of hygiene materials. Parents are asked to regularly bring wet wipes, soap, toilet paper, plastic cups, napkins, as well as various detergents for cleaning the premises.
What stands out this year is the new strategy for teaching aids. Under the guidance of the principals, educators are distributing handwritten lists to parents – a way to avoid any official documents or administrative evidence. These lists contain everything from watercolors, colored paper, crayons, plasticine, to storybooks.
"Free" education only in statements
While in official documents this is called public education and financed by the taxes of the citizens of Tirana, in practice it functions as a scheme where parents finance the operation of kindergartens.
Perhaps one of the collaborators who visits him in his cell should inform Erion Veliaj that, before dealing with the facade of cleaning the canals and streets for media consumption, he should turn his attention to the kindergartens and nurseries of the capital and supply the children's facilities, without continuing to rob the parents of Tirana.
