Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

September 15 is marked in Azerbaijan as the Day of Knowledge.

Today, thousands of Azerbaijani kids are heading back into school after the three-month summer break.

Every year, the first day of the school year is broadly celebrated across the country with parties, flowers, smiles. The beginning of the new school year is an important day not only for students, but also for teachers and parents. However, this day is more significant for first-grade students.

This year, 165,000 children will go for the first time to school, Deputy Minister of Education Jeyhun Bayramov said. Last year this figure was 164,033 students.

The deputy minister said that the positive demographic growth observed in the country in recent years influenced the sphere of education.

“Every year we observe an increase of about 50,000 people. In general, in the 2017-2018 academic year, about 1.450 million students will study in Azerbaijani schools, and almost 150,000 teachers will teach them,” Bayramov said.

The 2017/18 academic year will run until mid-June.

Education is free in Azerbaijan and is compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 15. Education is comprised of three levels -- primary, general secondary, and full secondary education.

Azerbaijani school students have to wear a school uniform according to the Education Ministry's decision. A number of newly-built and repaired schools have opened in the country for the new academic year.

For many children, discovering every new thing in the world is a step forward in a long way. But the most touching milestone for each first-grader is when they encounter their first schoolteacher.

September 15 is the beginning of new challenges and victories, difficulties and achievements, sorrows and joys. We wish all the pupils and students good luck in the coming school year.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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