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On February 24, presentation of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s Preschool Institutions’ Development Program took place.

Azerbaijan’s First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva and Foundation’s Vice-president Leyla Aliyeva attended the event.

Mehriban Aliyeva underscored that recently Azerbaijan has shown economic growth in all spheres, and that attention shown towards education, and funds allocated to this sphere have also increased. The First Lady said some 2700 schools were constructed or repaired for the last 10 years, whereby over 1 million pupils were provided better conditions for education.

Mehriban Aliyeva mentioned that the project “New School To New Azerbaijan”, which was initiated in 2005 following the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, has been implemented successfully, and that Azerbaijani companies and subjects of entrepreneurship should take more social responsibility, and business circles participate in social projects.

Saying that all schools in need will be reconstructed within the framework of the third  regional development program and there will not be a single school without being repaired, Mehriban Aliyeva talked also about the project “Support To Children’s Homes And Boarding Schools”, and said 32 boarding schools and children’s homes were reconstructed within this project. Mehriban Aliyeva brought to the attention of the audience that, while implementing this project, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has had well-established relations with the private sector: “There is a pressing need for construction of kindergartens in our country. Children spend almost half of a day in the kindergarten. Conditions at this education institutions, quality of the education our children receive here, and the prevailing climate existing there is very important. Children start to develop intellectually and physically, show their talent and skills, the ability to protect their health and build relations with other people just at these institutions. In this case, of course, we have to approach this sector of education with greater attention.”

Mehriban Aliyeva said the Heydar Aliyev Foundation had conducted monitoring of the current conditions at preschool institutions, and at the first stage it covered the capital and in future it will be conducted throughout the whole country. The First Lady expressed a hope that, as with all other projects so far implemented by the Foundation, this program too will be successful.

Then the results of the monitoring conducted by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation were presented.

Comprehensive information was given about the preschool institutions located in the city of Baku. There are 414 such institutions in the capital. 137 out of them need major repair, and 11 are under the threat of collapse. Currently, repair works are being carried out in 133 preschool institutions.

Ali Hasanov, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chairperson of the State Committee for the Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, Minister of Education Mikail Jabbarov, Head of the Baku City Executive Authority Hajibala Abutalybov, Head of UNICEF’s Representative Office in Azerbaijan Mark Hereward delivered a speech.

Summarizing the event, Mehriban Aliyeva said she would take all opinions and proposals expressed at the meeting into account.

Calling education a strategic sphere, Mehriban Aliyeva emphasized that great achievements will be reached with support from the Foundation, state entities and the private sector.

“On May 10 this year, we will celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. During these years, the Heydar Aliyeva Foundation has been very active in various spheres of the country’s public life. We have implemented many projects and programs. To be short, our biggest achievement is that we have gained the respect and support of the Azerbaijani people during these years. They trust us”, - said Mehriban Aliyeva.