They are saving the school in Glisnica, Pljevlja.

An initiative to restore the old school building, which for decades has represented an important symbol of the history, education and community of the region, has been launched in the village of Glisnica in Pljevlja.

The school was built in 1955, and from the 1960/61 school year until the late 1980s it operated as a branch of the “Jakub Kubur” Elementary School from the village of Boljanići. Locals also participated in its construction, so the facility, in addition to its educational value, also had a strong social and symbolic value for the village.

Once a gathering place for children, parents, and the entire community, the school is now in very poor condition. The biggest problem is a damaged roof and years of leaks that have led to serious deterioration of the building.

With the aim of preventing further collapse and preserving the building for future generations, the non-governmental organization “Reconstruction of the School in Glisnica” was founded in 2024, with headquarters in Pljevlja. The founders and managers of the organization are Dragoslav Marjanovic, Vlade Cepic i Željko Pejović.

The first phase of work, which has already begun, relates to the repair of the roof, roof structure and covering, as the most urgent and crucial step in protecting the building from further deterioration.

Significant support for the initiative was provided by the Municipality of Pljevlja and the Coal Mine, which provided initial funds for a condition survey and the start of work on replacing the roof structure.

The murals and painted walls inside the school, created during the years when the abandoned building attracted the attention of visitors, locals, and art lovers, also give this facility special value.

These painted motifs today represent a kind of testimony of time and an additional reason to preserve the school, because in addition to its historical value, it also has a recognizable visual identity that has become interesting to many who have visited it.

The NGO invites all locals, people originally from Glisnica, as well as all people of good will, to join the action according to their capabilities.

Donations can be paid to the NGO “Reconstruction of the School in Glisnica” bank account number 540-1508980 at Erste Bank or in person at the organization's representative. The list of donors will be made public, unless someone wishes to remain anonymous.

The initiators of the action emphasize that the goal is not just to renovate the building, but to bring life back to this space and its future use in a way that will benefit the village - whether as a gathering place, cultural events, or other activities of importance to the community.

According to information published on the village's Facebook profile, the first primary school in Glisnica was founded in the fall of 1900, at the insistence of the Montenegrin education authorities and with the approval of the Turkish authorities. Initially, classes were held in very modest conditions, in a hut in the hamlet of Petinići, without furniture, where wooden blocks served as benches. The first teacher was Petar Ranitovic.

Due to opposition from the Turkish authorities, the school was repeatedly closed, and from 1903 to 1907 it was completely closed. It was reopened thanks to the persistence of the locals, who used their volunteer labor to build a new log cabin for the school. Despite this, the authorities often interfered with its work.

The school has been closed several times over the years due to political circumstances and wars, especially in the period from 1912 to 1918 and during World War II. After the liberation in 1944, work was resumed, and a new school building was built in 1955.

From 1960/1961, the school operated as a branch of the “Jakub Kubur” Elementary School in Boljanići.

Due to the emigration of the population, the number of students was constantly decreasing, and the school finally ceased to operate in 1990, when it had only two students. After its closure, the school building was not maintained and over time began to deteriorate. GM

Once a gathering place for children, parents and the entire community, the school is now in very poor condition. The biggest problem is the damaged roof and years of leaks that have led to serious deterioration of the building.