A study done by the Ministry of Education in partnership with UNICEF shows that the optimum number of students in a school class is 25 in villages and 35 in towns. The information was presented by Deputy Minister of Education Tatiana Potang at a meeting of the Commission on Culture and Education, Info-Prim Neo reports. “A large number of children in classes helps to develop a spirit of competition and form life skills”, said the Deputy Minister. Tatiana Potang added that according to the study, performance indicators are higher in more numerous classes. Children participate in more competitions and extracurricular activities. Communist MP Alexandr Petkov complained that in some schools there were over 40 children in a class, which isn’t normal. Liberal-Democrat MP Chiril Lucinschi agreed that the limit must be reduced because it was too high. Tatiana Potang communicated that during the school reform, 57 institutions have been closed and 53 reorganized.