Niš: One-time aid for parents is not a solution, secure jobs are needed

A one-time payment of 20,000 dinars for elementary school students in Niš offers some relief to parents facing back-to-school costs, but it falls short of providing lasting economic security for families. Miodrag Stanković, co-president of the citizens' group "Niš, moj grad" (Niš, My City) and founder of the Movement of Southern Serbia, stated that while the measure is appreciated, it cannot replace stable income.

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Twenty thousand dinars is a help, but it is not a solution. A family does not need to receive 20,000 dinars once a year, but rather parents need to have secure jobs, decent wages and the opportunity to educate their children normally from their work.

Stanković noted that the city partially adopted the "Niš, moj grad" initiative by including elementary students. However, parents of high school students were left without assistance. He emphasized that high schoolers also incur significant costs for textbooks, transportation, clothing, and other school necessities.

"Twenty thousand dinars is a help, but it is not a solution," Stanković asserted. He argued that families need secure employment and adequate wages that allow them to support their children's education consistently, rather than a single annual payment. The focus, he believes, should be on creating conditions for new investments and well-paid jobs.

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The state must create conditions for new investments and quality, well-paid jobs, while cities and municipalities should attract investments that bring economic security to citizens.

Stanković stressed that cities and municipalities must attract investments that provide economic security. He added that simply opening any job is insufficient; these must be positions that allow individuals to live, pay bills, educate their children, and plan for the future. For Niš specifically, retaining young people is crucial, which requires more than just one-time aid. It demands opportunities for employment, decent earnings, housing solutions, and a secure future for their families.

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It is not enough to open just any job. We need jobs that a person can live on, pay bills, educate children, and plan for the future.

The "Niš, moj grad" group plans to continue advocating for expanded aid to include high school students and for measures that strengthen families long-term. Their ultimate goal is not for citizens to rely on aid but to achieve economic empowerment and live with dignity through their own labor.

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Our goal is not for citizens to be recipients of aid, but for them to be economically empowered and able to live with dignity from their work.