Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr S. Ilhamgizi / Over 3,000 young Azerbaijanis are studying in foreign universities at the expense of the Azerbaijani Government, Azerbaijani Education Minister, Misir Mardanov, reported at a conference of the heads of Azerbaijan's educational institutions on 5 September.
"Some 870 Azerbaijani students are studying abroad with the support of NGOs," the Minister said.
According to Mardanov, every year 120,000 students leave general schools in Azerbaijan. Only 5-7% of them apply for vocational schools.
This year 1,170 school students who did not pass final exams were not admitted to entrance exams for universities. By the end of the year, construction of 200 new schools and over 50 repairs in schools will be completed in Azerbaijan. There is a necessity for construction of new buildings for 600 schools, the Minister said.
By the end of the year 3,693 schools will be provided with 31,677 computers, while 1,103 schools will receive laptops. Consequently, there will be one computer to every 29 students, the Minister noted.
According to Mardanov, 11 infant schools will be put in operation by the end of the year. Some 6.5% of the funds allotted for education go to infant education. Expenses for education take second place in Azerbaijan's public budget.