In 2011, Volgograd created over 3000 extra places in kindergartens

This year, the Volgograd pre-school establishments have added 3156 additional places; it was done within the campaign aimed to reduce the waiting list of the parents willing to put their kids to pre-school institutions. However, the members of the initiative group, who struggle for the rights of children, have stated that these measures were insufficient.

In March 2011, the administration of Volgograd committed to create 3000 additional places for preschool children. For this purpose, over 120 million roubles were allocated from the city budget, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told at the press service of the administration.

From the start of the year, 35 new groups were formed in seven districts of the city, which allowed introducing additional 802 places. Additional places were created in the operating groups for middle and senior pre-school age. In doing this, as the Department for Education has stressed, "the sanitary norms of area per child were observed."

"As a result of all the efforts, the plan was exceeded – we managed to create additional 3156 places. In general, in 2011, we could take 9124 children aged 2-6 years to full-time groups. Besides, we organized 26 groups of short stay. Thus, during 2011, the pre-school services have been rendered to 9391 children," said the Mayoralty.

However, parents do not regard the problem of lack of kindergartens in Volgograd settled.

"In March 2011, the online waiting list contained 27,965 children, of whom 17,635 kids are over 1.5 years old. And how many parents just would not register their children, just because they've lost any trust for the authorities!" Olga Cheburakova, a member of the above initiative group, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"Yes, the promises are fulfilled, but at what cost! With creaks and heavily, they amended the city budget, then, the regional administration 'fed' us with promises until the summer; for three months they could not transfer the promised money to the city. What sort of efficient organization and self-government can we speak in this case," said the activist Irina Kharkova.