The new building of the Kazan International School was opened in the capital of Tatarstan

(KZN.RU, 1 September). The new building of the International School of Kazan opened today, at the Day of Knowledge, in the capital of Tatarstan. Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the Republic, and Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, took part in the solemn event.

The Kazan International School for the children of foreign specialists started its work two years ago. The elementary school is located in two buildings: 123 children are now enrolled in the campus on the Mavlyutov Str., on the Fedossevskaya Str. - 61 children. 8 Russian and 17 foreign experts from the USA, UK, Canada, and South Africa are working in the elementary school.

450 students will be trained in the new building. Now 38 students in 5-8 grades are recorded in the International School. Five Russian experts and 10 foreign teachers from USA, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa and the Philippines will work in the secondary schools.

The Mayor of Kazan greeted the students, their parents and teachers in the auditorium in English. “Today is an important event. We are opening a lot of objects in Kazan and Tatarstan, but this place is special”, said Ilsur Metshin.

The need to organize international school in Kazan ripened for a long time: a large number of applications from foreign professionals, working in the city and the country in various fields, for children's education in an accredited international school with English language of instruction were received in the Office of Education. Six years ago Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of Tatarstan, decided to establish the International School that meets the required standards.

According to the Mayor, this decision is allowed the removing the barriers to engage in Kazan and Tatarstan professionals from around the world. “Unfortunately, we know examples when foreign high-level experts refused to move to Kazan because of the lack of international schools. Of course, the need for an international school in the capital of Tatarstan is long overdue. More and more Tatarstan companies attract foreign experts and managers of the highest level”, said the Mayor.

The President noted that the Niyaz Gafiyatullin, the head of the school, managed to find an excellent team of teachers. “I am sure that the children, who will study at the school, will be competitive at the global level”, said Rustam Minnikhanov.

The President also expressed his gratitude to architects and to the company “Svyazinvestneftekhim”, thanks to which it was possible to implement this project. The new school building, as well as two campuses for primary school, was designed by the company “Fielding Nair 1International”, headed by the chief architect Jay Litman, in conjunction with the State Unitary Enterprise “Tatinvestgrazhdanproekt”. Gratitude of the President of the RT was declared to Jay Litmanen. Rustam Minnikhanov presented the award to the chief architect on the solemn event today.

“We designed a lot of schools around the world, but only in Kazan we saw the wonder of respond, when there is a partnership between the school, the teachers and the leadership of the republic and the city. At the same time the city sees the school as a new driver of economic development. We have released two books about our vision of education of the XXI century, and we have seen the realization of this vision only in Kazan”, said Jay Litman.

“We are aware of the responsibility and high standards, which is given”, said Niaz Gafiyatullin, the head of the International School of Kazan. “All teachers will do everything for every day in the school was a good and productive for students”.

The first ring, which two students of the International School gave, meant the opening of the new building and the new school year.

Asgat Safarov, the head of the Office of the President, Leila Fazleeva, the assistant of the President of the RT, Engel Fattakhov, the deputy Prime Minister of the RT and Minister of Education and Science of Tatarstan, Irek Faizullin, the minister of Construction, Architecture and Utilities of the RT, Vladimir Leonov, the minister of Youth and Sport of the RT, Denis Kalinkin, the head of the Kazan Executive Committee, Damir Fattakhov, the first deputy head of the Executive Committee, Ivan Kuznetsov, the deputy head of the economic development of the Executive Committee, Andrei Lobov, the head of Vakhitovsky and Privolzhskiy districts, Ilsur Hadiullin, the head of the Education Department, and others also participated in the opening of the new building.