DUSHANBE, June 11, Asia-Plus  -- A summer holiday season for schoolchildren started in Tajikistan yesterday.

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Safarali Nozimov, the head of the Republican Center for Out-of-School Activities within the Ministry of Education (MoE), said that summer camps Qaratogh, Chaika, Obshoron and Shirkent were the first to accept the first group of schoolchildren totaling 1,720 children.

The MoE official said that the first shift will last 20 days.  

According to the Republican Center for Out-of-School Activities, local authorities last year allocated totaling 1.9 million somonis for organization of summer holidays of schoolchildren. 

The ministries and organizations allocated 771,950 somonis, trade unions – 645,000 somonis, as well as charitable and parents’ funds amounted to 136,678 somonis. In 2007, 420,233 schoolchildren had the rest in 181 out-of-town camps, 660 labor camps, and 105 sports camps.