Regional police departments have been instructed to thoroughly inspect the premises of all schools and colleges, scouring basements, attics and nearby buildings for possible security risks, while workers have been told to ensure that schools comply with fire safety regulations.
"Last year's events showed that problems with our schools are very real," Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev said Monday, Interfax reported. "We are doing everything in our power to make sure that the new school year begins on a high note, especially from the point of view of ensuring security. In view of last year's events at Beslan, repairs will be carried out on all buildings at educational institutions by Sept. 1."
Meanwhile, the government's chief fire inspector, Gennady Kirillov, on Tuesday warned that 1,200 schools nationwide might not open on time as workers were hurrying to bring them into compliance with fire safety codes.
While schools in Moscow and other major urban areas were generally in good condition, schools in remote and impoverished regions were more likely to be old, wooden and fire-prone, Kirillov said, noting that the Altai and Karachayevo-Cherkessia republics, the Yamal-Nenets autonomous district and the Krasnoyarsk region faced particular problems.
Almost one-third of all schools inspected failed to meet fire safety standards, but many of the violations were small and could be fixed in a few days, Kirillov said. "Mostly, we are seeing relatively minor violations, such as blocked fire escapes, inaccurate evacuation plans and so on," he said.
In the schools with major fire hazards, violations were primarily due to aging buildings and deteriorating materials. "The main problem is electric wiring, but many windows also have metal gratings that, although they protect the buildings, impede fire escapes. Many school buildings were constructed in the 1930s and '40s, so they have potentially hazardous stove-heating systems," Kirillov said.
About 85,000 schools -- 87 percent of the total nationwide -- were examined over the past year, Kirillov said, noting that it took an army of 17,000 inspectors to review the buildings.
Schools are using $194 million set aside by the government this year for the repairs, Kirillov said, and 23 centers will train teachers to deal with fires. "Fire safety education is just as important as safe buildings," he said. "We're training teachers and administrators to react professionally to emergencies, and to teach students fire safety skills that will help them their whole lives."
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