In the 2006/2007 academic year the education system of the Tolochin region included 13 secondary schools, 13 primary schools of them 6 kindergarten/schools, 13 preschool facilities, a regional special education ad rehabilitation center, a children’s home, the Art Center for Children and Youth.
Rural schools account for 81% of the total schools of the region. There are 19% Belarusian-language schools. There are also three school hostels (43 students) and 27 afterschool groups (623 students).
Some 3,864 children attend schools, 850 children are placed in preschool facilities or 84.5% of children living in the region (of them 98.3% - in towns, 55.3% - in villages). In 2006, a playground for children of the preschool age was opened in Novinki State Primary School. There is a family day care in Oboltsy. There are also 17 daycare centers for children of various age groups.
The region continues implementing the specialist training concept, optimizing the differential educational environment.
There are four lyceum-type classes (89 students) and six gymnasium-type classes (132 students) in Tolochin and Kokhanovo schools. Some 69.1% of the 1-11 grade students take differential education programmes. All rural schools have specialist classes (groups) which focus on the chosen subject area, providing enhanced learning opportunities in this field (504 students).
Some 58.3% of the 1-11 grade students of rural schools take differential education programmes.
According to the 2005/2006 academic year oblast ratings, the Tolochin region ranked 6th in terms of the quality of education.
As for school ratings, in the2005/2006 academic year Kokhanovo secondary school ranked 1st by quality of education (headmaster is Valentina Skipskaya).
The programme “Gifted Children” is in progress in the region. Special contests and intellectual games, sports competitions and art contests are held on a regular basis to discover young talents.
During the 3rd National Student Olympiad, three students of the region received diplomas in mathematics and geography.
In 2006, students of the region took the 1st and the 3rd places in the International Russian Chess Contest, became prizewinners of the oblast contest “Christmas Star”, took part in 16 oblast-wide and 2 national contests.
In the 2005/2006 academic year, 35.4% of school graduates were admitted to universities, 31.8% of graduates – to colleges.
In 2006, due to the joint efforts of the education department of the Tolochin Regional Executive Committee, faculty and law-enforcement bodies, the juvenile delinquency reduced by 18.6% from the same period 2005.
The local authorities work hard to meet the social standards to provide schools of the region with up-to-date equipment. In 2006, 10 PCs and a multimedia system at the amount of Br26.3 million were purchased. Over the four years, the regional budget assigned Br97.2 million for this purpose.
The Tolochin Children’s Social Asylum was set up to help disadvantaged children. In 2006, 87 children took recuperation courses there.
There are 94 orphans and children whose parents were deprived of parental rights in the Tolochin region. Half of them have guardians, another half live in foster families. Ten children with special needs receive education at home.
There are 557 school professors in the region. Of them 78.6% have university diplomas, 19.6% - vocational college diplomas. There are 25 social teachers and 16 teachers-physiologists. There are 139 teachers in preschool facilities, of them 34.5% have university diplomas.
In 2006, Br192.9 million and Br8.5 million of sponsor funds was invested in renovation of the regional educational establishments. Some Br31,462 million was assigned to renovate catering facilities of local schools and daycare centers. Within the framework of the village revival programme for 2005-2010, Br204 million was injected into reconstruction of the Serkovitsy daycare center. Last year, educational establishments of the region earned Br29.7 million.
The regional educational system focuses on civic-patriotic, moral-aesthetic and physical education, formation of the healthy lifestyle, support of children’s and youth organizations. Some 45% of local students attend sports sections and clubs.
Four students of the region won prizes at the oblast-wide athletics competition, 3 students – the oblast-wide hiking competition, 2 students at the oblast grenade throwing tournament.
