DUSHANBE, August 31, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Some 165,000 first-graders will attend school for the first time in the 2012-2013 school year, Vaysiddin Ismoilov, a lead specialist with the preschool and school education department of the Ministry of Education (MoE) told Asia-Plus in an interview.

“In Dushanbe, some 16,000 first-graders will go to 140 schools tomorrow,” Ismoilov said.

According to the statistical data from the Ministry of Education, 3,990 schools now function in Tajikistan.  Besides, 248 new schools are expected to be built in the country by until the end of this year.

In the meantime, more than 46,000 first-graders will attend school for the first time in the northern Sughd province.

According to the Sughd education directorate, 902 schools now function in the area and two private schools – “Irshod” in Khujand and “Nouri Rahmon” in the Asht district – will open their doors to students in the new school year.