On September 1, 2008 13.3 million children will study in Russian schools. It is 400 thousand less than in 2007 (in 1995/96 22 million children studied in schools).

Like last year 1.24 million first-formers will come to schools (in 2007 their number was 16 thousand more than in 2006).

As a whole there are 59 260 educational institutions in Russia (including branches and departments with rights of legal entity), which realize the principal programs of general education (further as schools of general education), the figure is approximately 138 educational institutions less in comparison to 2007/08. Among them 56.7 thousand are day schools of general education.

As compared to the previous year approximately 1 800 tumbledown schools and schools of accident condition, in which the children's training was impossible, were put out of operation. By the new year 229 new schools were put into service.

By August, 29, according to the information from executive bodies of Russian subjects maintaining educational management, 36 schools haven't settled the reprimands of the State Fire Inspectorate (by August, 27 the number of these schools was 88). Apart from the listed schools 35 institutions of general educations were stopped for a scheduled repair.