Knowledge Day is celebrated today all over Russia. A new academic year has begun today in 176 Tuvan schools with the first bell ring. Over 60,000 children (one fifth of Tuva's population) have come to study, 14,700 out of which are in Kyzyl. One thousand four hundred and twenty Kyzyl children have had their first ever lesson today.
A new school year start in Tuva was in question up to the last moment. Fire inspections on the eve of the new school year have revealed serious violations of fire security measures in the better part of Tuvan schools in spite of numerous warnings from fire inspectors. Not all of the violations have been made up for by September 1, but it was decided not to spoil the festive date for schoolchildren and to let schools open. A time limit has been made for school authorities to take proper anti-fire measures.