Alexei Mateevici Theoretical Lyceum in Soldanesti became more energy efficient with the financial support of the European Union

574 students of the Alexei Mateevici Theoretical Lyceum in Soldanesti enjoy a more comfortable study environment, while 67 teachers and support staff enjoy better working conditions, thanks to the support provided by the European Union. The inauguration of the energy-renovated lyceum took place today, 27 February 2024.

Andrei Spinu, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development said: “Schools and lyceums are places where our children study, spend time and build their future. A good school must first of all provide good educational conditions. And here in Soldanesti, I saw the school I would like to see in every community in Moldova. Thanks to the support provided by GIZ and the EU, the 574 students study in a modern, friendly, and inclusive environment.”

The construction works under the above-mentioned project included the renovation of the roof and the insulation of the exterior walls of the school buildings, the replacement of windows, the rehabilitation of the indoor heating system, ventilation and electricity works, the installation of 15 photovoltaic panels for the production of electricity, the supply of domestic hot water, the renovation of the indoor toilets, the supply of high-tech equipment in the kitchen, as well as the construction of the pathway for people with special needs, landscaping works, including installation of the pavement and the construction of outdoor staircases.

Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova said: “In a world where energy consumption reached unprecedented levels, it is extremely important to take advantage of energy efficiency technologies. Through this project, we wanted to integrate smart technologies and energy management systems so that schools can monitor and adjust energy consumption for higher efficiency. Energy-efficient schools offer many other benefits, including a positive impact on school wellbeing and performance. I refer here to better air quality, better soundproofing, and better lighting conditions.”

Thanks to energy efficiency measures implemented with the support of the European Union, the institution will decrease both the standardized energy consumption and the annual CO2 emissions, which will lead to a better environmental impact.

Steffen Lohmann, Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy noted: “Improving the energy efficiency of buildings and the greening of energy production were truly identified as priorities of the current Government of the Republic of Moldova. Germany has recently increased its assistance to Moldova in these key areas of our development cooperation and is committed to remaining a strong partner to promote Moldova’s energy transition and its further integration into the European Union in the future. We are happy that we joined forces with the EU in Soldanesti to contribute to more efficient use of energy, to the generation of renewable energy, and, ultimately, to a better learning environment for students, teachers and the staff at the Theoretical Lyceum.”

Claudia Hermes, Country Director, GIZ Moldova noted: “We are happy that the expertise and knowledge mobilized by GIZ and provided to the Regional Development Agency and all local partners contributed to the successful implementation and completion of this project and to ensuring a sustainable infrastructure. We hope that the lessons learned and the knowledge will be taken over and used in other similar projects. And we certainly wish all the students and teachers of the Soldanesti lyceum inspiration towards new discoveries and many great achievements.”

Activities were carried out under the EU-funded project “Construction of Water Supply and Sewerage Infrastructure and Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings”. The total value of the energy efficiency works for the lyceum in Soldanesti town is about 2.94 million Euro, of which 2.88 million Euro were provided by the EU as a grant and about 62,800 Euro as a local contribution.

Ion Pinzari, Acting Director of the Centre Regional Development Agency stated: “Under the major project “Construction of Water Supply and Sewerage Infrastructure and Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings”, in the Centre Region we ensured the energy efficiency of 4 lyceums in Ungheni, Straseni, Holercani, and Soldanesti, and we rehabilitated and extended the water supply and sewerage networks in the cities of Ungheni and Calarasi. The changes taking place help us bring Europe home and we are firmly committed to improving the lives of all the residents of the region,” said Ion Pinzari, Acting Director of the Centre Regional Development Agency.

Aliona Pinzari, President of Soldanesti district said: “A beautiful dream that came true! We went through many challenges as well as successes. We managed not only to repair a building, we created very good working conditions for teachers and a friendly and comfortable space for students! We are extremely happy to have the European Union and the German Embassy as partners!”

Rodica Grosu, the interim Director of the Lyceum mentioned: “The beneficiaries of this wonderful project are 574 students from 10 villages of Soldanesti district and 2 villages of Rezina district. We are very happy that more and more parents have decided to enroll their children in our lyceum. This project contributed to the designation of our lyceum as a model school by the Ministry of Education and Research! One of 35 schools in our country.”

The project for the renovation of the Theoretical Lyceum in Soldanesti is the last in a series of projects implemented by the Centre Regional Development Agency with the financial support of the European Union – 4 projects for energy efficiency in public buildings and 2 projects to improve water and sanitation infrastructure. The total value of the projects implemented in the Centre region is around 12.82 million euros.

Background information:

The measures to increase the energy efficiency of the Alexei Mateevici Theoretical Lyceum in Soldanesti were financed by the European Union and implemented by the Centre Regional Development Agency under the project “Construction of Water Supply and Sewerage Infrastructure and Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings”. The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ Moldova), in partnership with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development. The total budget of the project is 39.8 million euro.