About 4,000 Chisinau children went to first grade on September 1

Approximately 120 children became first graders of the Chisinau high school Prometeu today. With flowers in hands, smiles and emotions, the children sang songs and recited poems for teachers, parents, elder colleagues and invitees on the first school day. Afterward, they went to their classrooms together with their first teachers. The students of Prometeu actively participate in national and international Olympiads and achieve the best results, officials of the General Division of Education, Youth and Sport stated for Info-Prim Neo. “At the end of every school year, I ͗m proud to hear that the lyceum I head is the best as it has the best students. At the start of every school year, I ͗m proud to see many children eager to know a new world and achieve good results,” said [the high school͗͗͗ ͗ s director Aureliu Silvestru]. According to him, the previous school year the students of Prometeu had won over 300 prizes at national and international Olympiads. “I wish the students to win more prizes and achieve better results this year so that next year we could say again that we were the best,” Silvestru said. [His Holiness Vladimir, the Metropolitan Bishop of Chisinau and All Moldova] was invited to the festivity dedicated to the first school day. “Dear students, teachers and parents, I wish you joy, accomplishments and to obtain good results. The students should be obedient and learn many new things. Let God help you in your efforts,” he said. [Romanian senator Viorel Badea], the high school ͗s invitee, told the students and parents that “there is no other happiest moment in our lives than that of being in the yard of the school that forms our souls.” “Our duty as parents is to educate our children and keep their purity of angels in their souls. Remaining faithful to the country and language and being respectful towards our parents are the most precious things. If what you do is right, you will be rewarded for this right,” said the senator, who is in charge of the Romanian citizens in Moldova. “Learning what courage, devotion, respect and responsibility is, we learn to understand the inner world of the people. I hope we will reach your souls, my dear students. I ͗m impatient to know you. The energy I see in your eyes makes me hope that you will spend it on studies,” said [Iulia Scripnic, who is a first-grade class master]. [Marcela Frasinescu, another first-grade class master], said that the school cannot do great things on earth, but can do small things with great love. [Parent Alina Druc] said that she is proud of her son, who is an eighth grader. “He achieved good results, participated in a number of national Olympiads and took top positions. The parents ͗ great wish is to see their children become great persons. I will pray for my son to achieve what he wants to.” The students from the upper grades were glad to see their colleagues and teachers and said that they were eager to know a new world. “I am glad that the new school year started. I missed my classmates, the teachers. I want to learn new things,” said [Dan Maican, a seventh grader]. “This year, I want to find out more interesting things and achieve better results so that I could participate in the Olympiad that I missed last year as I was sick,” said [the ninth grader Nicoleta Turcan]. “I hope everything will be fine during the new school year. At school, we learn to become great and wise persons,” said [Cristina Lupu, an eighth grade]. [According to the General Division of Education, Youth and Sport], 3,798 Chisinau children went to the first grade this year. The musical, choral and foreign languages schools remain the most popular. Among these are Prometeu, Ion Creanga, Mircea Eliade, Dante Aligheri, and Spiru Haret. 8,178 students will go to the ninth grade, while 5,658 – to the twelfth grade. The secondary schools have 732 eleventh graders