Region

Number of first-grade students in Mogilev oblast increases this year

This year, the number of the first-grade students in the Mogilev oblast will be 300 children more as against the last school year (2007/2008), head of the education department of the Mogilev Oblast Executive Committee Oleg Kulakovsky told reporters. Within the recent three years the number of the first-year students in the Mogilev oblast has been increasing. This year, the number of the first graders will increase by 11 thousand for the first time. At the same time, if the number of the first graders increases, the number of the rest of the school students has been reduced by 3 thousand as against 2007/2008 school year. In this respect, in 2008 13 secondary schools will be closed in the region. In 2008/2009 school year, rural schools of the Mogilev oblast intend to purchase 27 school buses additionally. The Mogilev oblast does not expect a significant increase in the number of school leavers. In 2008, some 10 thousand 400 students finished the 11th grade, in 2009 – 12 thousand 200 students are expected to leave the school.