Around 300 schools are planned to be constructed in Azerbaijan within next 3 or 4 years, Trend reports quoting Misir Mardanov, the Azerbaijani Education Minister, as saying at a news conference on Saturday.
According to Mardanov, the schools will be built within the programs of the Education Ministry. Thus, only in 2006 construction of 35 schools will be completed in the framework of the program on construction of schools. The construction of 16 schools is expected to start within the program on speeding-up social and economic development of the regions, 18 schools - program on construction of schools in Baku and Absheron. Under the latter program, additional buildings for 10,564 pupils will be constructed under 22 schools in Baku and Abseron.
The total number of the schools to be built in the framework of 5-6 programs in 2006 is 150. Besides, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation plans construction of 77 new schools and additional buildings under 22 schools, as well as repair of 11 schools in the regions of the country in the framework of the program New schools for renewed Azerbaijan.
According to Mardanov, the Ministry plans to build 12 infant schools in 2006 for the first time over last 20 years.
Mardanov said that they will continue the work on implementation of the programs on provision of schools with equipment, provision with personnel, etc. The Ministry expects allocation of 6.5m manats from the public budget for implementation of the first program.