Speech by Ilham Aliyev at the ceremony to commission school No 6 in Baku after reconstruction

- Dear children, dear teachers, dear parents!

I want to sincerely congratulate you all on the start of a new school year. It is a very momentous and historic day in the life of school No 6 today. We are celebrating the opening of a new building of the school. I am confident that the opening of this beautiful and majestic building will become an unforgettable event in the life of the school.

As you know, school No 6 has a great history, great traditions. People who studied at the school in different times have contributed to the development of Azerbaijan. But the previous building of the school has become outdated and the need emerged to construct a new one. This building has been constructed to the highest international standards, perhaps even beyond them. At the same time, the area of the school has more than doubled – from 6,500 to 13,500 square meters. The number of classrooms has also more than doubled. A new sports complex has been built. So the children going to this school will now become familiar with the conditions created here. There are excellent conditions for both children and teachers here.

School No 6 is very dear to me. I went to this school for 10 years. All of these surrounding areas are dear to me. It was in this neighborhood that I spent my childhood. And I am very glad that school No 6, which has a long history, is beginning a new life today.

For me, as for anyone else, school years are unforgettable. I am grateful to my teachers for the knowledge I have obtained in this school, and I always cherish these memories.

At the same time, all other schools are equally dear to me. That is why the construction of schools in Azerbaijan has assumed such large proportions in recent years. In recent years, we have built and renovated 2,161 schools. All schools now have computer classrooms. I believe that thanks to the development of a modern educational process, the level of education in Azerbaijan will further improve.

On the eve of the school year, 70 schools in Baku were fully renovated, school buildings were constructed. Nearly 60 schools were renovated in our districts. There is extensive creative work in schools throughout Baku – from remote settlements to the city center. I do hope that all schools in Baku will meet the highest standards over the next two years. Thus, our program on the construction and renovation of schools will be completed.

But no matter how important the issues of school construction and the strengthening of the material and technical infrastructure of the education sector might be, our work should not be limited to that. The main issue is the quality of education and knowledge provided to children. This is necessary for children, for us and for the state. In the present circumstances the fate of everyone is in his own hands.

There are excellent conditions in Azerbaijan. The political situation is very good and there is a very rapid economic development. New opportunities are emerging, new jobs are being created. About 900,000 jobs were created in the last seven years alone. We must strive to ensure that the people working in these jobs are professional. The basis of professionalism, knowledge, education and intelligence is laid in schools. Therefore, the education people receive in school plays a crucial role in human life. For every human being his future and fate are directly related to the way he treated school lessons.

I am fully confident and I can see that the Azerbaijani youth is keen on learning. Our young people want to become good specialists, good professionals. There may be a desire, but the quality of education must also comply with it. I hope that the innovations, modern approaches and reforms applied to education in Azerbaijan will lead to even better results in the near future. Because education is one of the most important and crucial factors for everyone and for the state. Children may often hear these words. But this is true for the future of man, for people to find their place in life, and education is above everything else. We must strive to successfully resolve the issues of school construction, complete the reforms ongoing in higher education institutions and improve the learning process, so that our youth and children become professionals and professionally and faithfully serve the Azerbaijan state in the future.

The future and the present of each country and each state depend on their intellectual capacity. If we turn to the experience of developed countries, we can see that there is more rapid development in countries where there is technological progress, where great investments are made in education, science and intellectual products. Azerbaijan has chosen this path. We have great hopes for the future because we know that the future of Azerbaijan will be even better than the present. Today, Azerbaijan has managed to present itself globally as a rapidly and successfully developing nation. But in the future the attention to be paid to science, education, new technologies, as well as the forthcoming programs, will put Azerbaijan on a par with developed countries. To become a developed country, it is not enough to have an excellent infrastructure and buildings. In order to become a developed country, it is necessary to have a high intellectual potential of society. Specific programs addressing these issues have been developed and are being implemented. I am confident that the Azerbaijani youths, the kids going into the first grade today will become worthy citizens of our Motherland in the future, demonstrate their professionalism and have their say in the development of our country.

In the future, our country will be governed by our youth. It is up to them how our country will develop. The road and the strategic course we have chosen have proved to be successful. In the future it will be young people who will have to determine how our country will develop and what path it will take.

On this wonderful day, the start of a new school year, I am greeting all Azerbaijani youth. My greetings to all the boys and girls going to school today! I wish you continued success. I promise that state attention and care for education in Azerbaijan will always be high.

My greetings to all of you again, and I wish you success! Thank you.