– The coronavirus pandemic has been a difficult time for school students – especially the youngest ones. That is why we want to support children and teachers in Lower Silesian primary schools by reducing the negative effects caused by the pandemic. I am extremely pleased by the great interest in our competition. We initially allocated over PLN 24.5 million to co-finance the projects, but due to the large number of applications that received a positive substantive assessment, we decided to increase the funding by over PLN 10 million – says Marshal Cezary Przybylski.

The projects recommended for funding include, among other things, workshops at the University of Wrocław and Wrocław University of Science and Technology, educational trips to the botanical and zoological gardens, trips to apiaries, Hydropolis, ExploraPark – a science and technology park in Wałbrzych, theatres, the Cistercian Ecomuseum in Lubiąż, the Kłodzko Valley, and the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw.

– The financial support received by Lower Silesian primary schools will enable them to organize extracurricular activities that develop passions and skills. Because of the pandemic, children and young people had to adapt to an entirely new reality. The return of the youngest students to in-person learning should involve providing them with appropriate psychological support and a friendly learning environment. The activities we support are intended to help children readjust to school and integrate with their peers – adds Deputy Marshal Marcin Krzyżanowski.

As part of classes developing foreign-language skills, meetings and workshops with volunteers who communicate only in English have been planned. Another group consists of workshops on issues related to ecology and environmental destruction. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about waste segregation, resource conservation, recycling and the zero waste movement.

Activities planned for children with special developmental and educational needs include hippotherapy and dog therapy. In one of the projects, a behaviorist working with a dog shelter will be invited to conduct canine workshops. Students will learn in practice what teaching a dog basic commands looks like, as well as how dogs working with the Search and Rescue Group perform their duties. Some classes will take place at an animal shelter. One project, attended exclusively by children with disabilities, includes, among other things, alpaca therapy and feline-assisted therapy.

Other activities available to students at Lower Silesian primary schools will also include additional remedial and talent-development classes, as well as laboratories, educational trips and psychological support.

In the competition, whose aim was to support students at Lower Silesian primary schools in mitigating the negative effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly by reducing learning deficits resulting from the temporary closure of schools and remote learning, 157 applications for project funding were submitted:

  • applications submitted by local government units (municipalities, cities and counties) – 125;
  • applications submitted by other entities (NGOs, companies, the Voluntary Labour Corps, etc.) – 32.

Of the 107 applications awarded funding:

  • applications from local government units (municipalities, cities and counties) – 89;
  • applications from other entities (NGOs, companies, the Voluntary Labour Corps, etc.) – 18.

The minimum project value in the competition was PLN 50,000, and the maximum implementation period was 12 months. Applicants covered 15% as their own contribution. The competition was open exclusively to authorities responsible for running primary schools in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, excluding schools for adults. The total value of the projects recommended for funding is PLN 42 million, of which European funds account for PLN 35.5 million.