The number of first graders in the municipality of Chisinau in the 2011-2012 school year is higher compared with the previous year. In Monday’s meeting of Chisinau City Hall officials, Zinaida Popescu, deputy head of the General Division of Education, Youth and Sport, said the number of first graders increased from 7 078 last year to 7 410, Info-Prim Neo reports. She also said that the number of first-fourth graders rose by 1 867, of fifth-ninth graders decreased by 1 485, from 33 809 to 32 324, while of tenth-twelfth graders fell by 1 342, from 17 403 to 16 061. “The first-fourth graders are supplied with textbooks free of charge, while the fifth-ninth graders and tenth-twelfth graders pay the rent set by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance. There will be 36 titles of textbooks in the 2011-2012 school year. Twenty-three of them were already distributed to education institutions,” said Zinaida Popescu. According to the Education Division, 141 preuniversity education institutions, 10 primary schools, 36 secondary schools, 81 lyceums and five special schools resumed work in September 1. They are attended by 76 619 students.