The number of students in primary and secondary education in the 2009/2010 academic year fell by 4.7% compared with the previous year and by 34.4% compared with 2000/2001, the National Bureau of Statistics said. The number of persons aged between 7 and 18 during 2009-2010 dropped by 27.2% and the education institutions decreased in number, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the Bureau. The gross enrollment rate in obligatory eduction in 2008 was 90.9%, as against 91.6% in 2007 and 95.1% in 2002 owing to a lower enrollment rate in primary education and in secondary education. The gross enrollment rate in primary education last year was 93.6%, in 2007 – 94%, while in 2000 – 99.4%. 143,400 or 34.7% of the total number of students in primary and secondary education are in primary education and preparatory classes at school, 207,500 or 50.2% are in secondary education, and 62,800 or 15.2% go to high schools. 99.1% of the students in primary and secondary education attend public schools. About 3,900 students go to private schools, a decrease of 2.6% compared with 2007/2008. The number of education institutions working in the 2009/2010 year fell by 14 units from the previous academic year. The number of general secondary schools decreased by 375 units or 67.7%, while of high schools rose 2.7 times. The high schools make up 63% of the schools in urban areas, the secondary schools – 14%, the primary schools – 8%, while the schools for children with impairments - 5%. In rural areas, the secondary schools constitute 58%, the high schools – 23%, the primary schools – 5%, while the schools for children with impairments – 2%. The highest number of students per 10,000 people was recorded in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia – 1,310. In southern Moldova, this rate is 1,230 students per 100,000 people, in central Moldova – 1,213, in northern Moldova - 1,104, while in the municipality of Chisinau – 1,051 students. As many as 121 schools work in Moldova at present.