108,000 schoolchildren in the Vitebsk region have started classes

The first of September at Gorodok Secondary School No. 1 was more solemn than ever. Preparations for the new academic year were underway not only out of necessity. Like other local educational institutions, the school became an object of preparation for the "Dazhynki" festival-fair of rural workers, which will be held here from September 26 to 28. The 36-year-old building has been radically renovated. Chairman of the regional executive committee, member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Kosinets, arrived to share the joy of teachers, students, and their parents.

Having congratulated the participants of the solemn ceremony dedicated to the start of the new academic year on Knowledge Day, the head of the region noted that this is a universal holiday. In the Vitebsk region, there are 51 thousand preschoolers, 108 thousand schoolchildren, including almost 12 thousand first-graders, 9 thousand young men and women are studying in the vocational education system, 17.5 thousand in secondary vocational schools, and 38.5 thousand in universities. Funds allocated for education in 2014 amount to 26% of the regional budget, or 3.7 trillion rubles. Much has been done for the new academic year to develop the material and technical base, ensure capital and current repairs, and train personnel. New kindergartens have been commissioned in Vitebsk and Novopolotsk, and are under construction in Orsha and the Orsha district. Alexander Kosinets expressed gratitude to the "Development Bank" for the gift to the schoolchildren of the Vitebsk region – 11 buses for transportation to classes. Another 14 were purchased by the region. The information base of the regional education system is strengthening, and all its institutions are connected to the Internet. According to the results of the 2013-2014 republican subject Olympiad for schoolchildren, the Vitebsk region team received 91 diplomas. The best indicator in the country for reducing student morbidity is in the Vitebsk region. The head of the region thanked the teaching staff of Gorodok Secondary School No. 1, students, and their parents for their success: 61.5% of the graduates of the past year entered universities, 27% entered secondary vocational schools, 11.5% entered vocational education institutions, and good sports results were also achieved. On behalf of the regional executive committee, Alexander Nikolaevich presented the school with a modern computer class with an interactive whiteboard.

Part of his speech, the governor dedicated to the upcoming "Dazhynki – 2014" in Horadok. For the holiday of the rural workers, the renovated House of Culture, cinema, and a number of other important infrastructure facilities will be ready. Then, in a short period of time, a swimming pool and an ice arena will be built at the children's and youth sports school. This year, one of the best roller ski tracks in the world is to be commissioned. This means that the necessary conditions will be provided for organizing decent leisure for the population and holding high-level sports competitions. In the region, 10 thousand hectares have been put into use recently, and by "Dazhynki", about 5 thousand hectares more will be added. Land reclamation workers, forestry workers, builders, and transport workers from all over the region are currently working in the Horadok region.

The tour of the school began with the chairman of the regional executive committee visiting the first-graders. At their first lesson in life, Alexander Nikolaevich, on behalf of the President of Belarus, presented each of them with the book "Belarus – Our Motherland", and from himself personally – sweets. Then the head of the region communicated with the ninth-grade students. After inspecting the renovated sports and assembly halls, and the canteen, he noted that the school would be allocated additional funds to complete the thermal renovation of the building and improve the classrooms.

Talking with the students' parents, Alexander Kosinets announced that, in accordance with his order, Horadok is becoming a satellite city of Vitebsk. This will be a precedent in the life of the region. Cities located 30-40 km from the regional center have great potential for creating processing enterprises and the recreation industry, and this potential must be realized to promote the economic activity of the population and significantly improve their quality of life.

Words of gratitude were expressed to the Governor not only by the principal of Gorodok Secondary School No. 1, Natalia Smirnova, who noted that such an investment in school needs had never happened before. Alexander Nikolaevich wished everyone health, success, well-being, and assured that the attention of the regional authorities would continue to be focused on improving the lives of the population.

Galina Shpakovskaya, "Vitebskiye Vesti"