In the Vitebsk region, emphasis should be placed on the development of primary and secondary schools - A. Kosinets

September 1, Vitebsk / Sergei Kochetov - BELTA /. In the Vitebsk region, emphasis will be placed in the near future on strengthening the material and technical base of primary and secondary schools, including those located in agro-towns. This was announced today to journalists by the chairman of the regional executive committee, Alexander Kosinets, during a visit to Secondary School No. 28 in the regional center, according to a BELTA correspondent. The region pays close attention to the development of educational institutions; about Br40 billion has been allocated solely for preparation for the new academic year, the chairman of the regional executive committee reported. At the same time, individual gymnasiums and lyceums received serious equipment, while it is necessary to create decent conditions for acquiring knowledge in all 600 schools operating in the region. "In the near future, we need to inspect practically every school, and the regional budget for 2010 will need to allocate significantly more funds for the education system compared to the current year," Alexander Kosinets stated. Today, more than 120,000 students of general education schools will take their seats in the region, including 10,250 first-graders. In addition, 25 vocational schools, 35 secondary specialized educational institutions, and 6 higher education institutions are ready to accept students, where over 72,000 people will receive education and vocational training. "We must raise literate, highly erudite citizens who will participate in shaping the economic potential of the Vitebsk region in the 21st century and lay the foundation for a dignified entry into the next millennium," emphasized the chairman of the regional executive committee. This is precisely why the region pays special attention to the development of information technologies. During his visit to the school, Alexander Kosinets presented the teaching staff with a gift from the regional executive committee – a computer class. -0-