DUSHANBE, October 2, Asia-Plus -- On Saturday September 30, Dushanbe Mayor Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev meets with teachers on occasion of their professional holiday, observed annually on the first Sunday of October. This year Teacher’s Day will be observed October 1. 

Ubaidulloyev congratulated the teachers on their holiday and made awards to the best Dushanbe teachers of the year. 

During the meeting it was noted that at present more than 6,000 teachers work with 126 educational institutions in the Tajik capital.  

Ubaidulloyev noted that the city authorities try to create all necessary conditions for an efficient work of teachers.   “In 2005, the Dushanbe mayor’s office provided more than 11 million somonis for computerization of secondary schools in the city,” the mayor said, stressing that at present schools in Dushanbe have 128 teacher’s vacancies.   According to him, it is necessary to improve study of Tajik, Russian and English languages and tackle the problem of shortage of schools in the city.   

The mayor suggested that a special non-government foundation should be set up in the city within the next three months, and its funds should be used for supporting leavers from the Dushanbe schools studying abroad.  

School # 21 was recognized the best school of Dushanbe and by mayor’s resolution a three-room apartment was assigned to this school.  

Besides, the best director of school and the best teacher of year were announced during the meeting, and the mayor made awards to them.  

“Gold” medal winners of 2006, Firuza Chorshanbiyeva and Sharaf Kholov, were received 120 somonis each, and “silver” medal winners of this year, Komila Muhsinova and Shafoat Usmonova, received 100 somonis each.  

Besides, the mayor approved a list of 95 students of secondary schools that that will receive a monthly grant of 30 somonis each in the 2006-2007 school year.  By other decision the mayor endorsed a list of 98 teachers in Dushanbe that will receive a special grant of 60 somonis each during this school year.    

By mayor’s decision 6,938 teachers working with educational institutions in Dushanbe will receive extraordinary grant of 100 somonis on occasion of their professional holiday.  

The main holiday celebrations were at the Dushanbe Amphitheatre and other public places on Sunday.