In Irkutsk, a new School No. 23 was ceremonially opened, built on the site of the old building and fully equipped with modern equipment. At the assembly, teachers, students, and parents were congratulated, and Mayor Viktor Kondrashov called the event a celebration for the whole city. In the new school year, six first grade classes were enrolled here, and 1,100 children will study at the school.

At the ceremonial assembly dedicated to the start of the school year and the opening of the school, teachers, students, and parents were congratulated by First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Irkutsk Region Nikolai Slobodchikov, Mayor of Irkutsk Viktor Kondrashov, Chairman of the Irkutsk City Duma Andrey Labygin, heads of structural divisions of the Irkutsk city administration, deputies of the Irkutsk City Duma, and builders.
In December 2010, construction of a new school began on the site of the old building. It is now a modern 3-story building with a total area of 13,565 square meters. Functionally, the building consists of 2 main blocks: a general school block and an academic block. On the first floor of the building are: a lobby, cloakrooms, a medical office, an information center, a library, a cafeteria for 260 seats, and labor training classrooms for boys. On the second floor are a multipurpose assembly hall, a sports block (a gym and a small gym), cloakrooms and showers, classrooms, and labor training classrooms for girls. On the third floor are primary school classrooms, restrooms, and staff rooms.
329 million rubles were allocated from the budget of the city of Irkutsk for the construction of the school, including 283 million rubles for construction and installation work and 32 million rubles for the purchase of equipment.
The school is equipped with modern equipment that meets the technical specifications and regulatory requirements for general education institutions. The school grounds have been fully landscaped: fencing has been installed, benches have been set up, and greenery has been planted.
In the new school year, six first-grade classes were enrolled in the new school. A total of 1,100 students will study at the school.
“Today is the birthday of School No. 23! This is a holiday not only for those teachers and children who work and study here. It is a holiday for our entire city,” said Mayor Viktor Kondrashov in his welcoming remarks. “For the first time in 15 years, a new school has been built in Irkutsk — bright, beautiful, modern!”
On behalf of the deputies, Chairman of the Irkutsk City Duma Andrey Labygin addressed the ceremonial assembly.
“September 1 is a special holiday; it symbolizes the aspiration for new beginnings and achievements. Today is a double celebration — the new School No. 23 is opening. We all awaited this event with great joy!” said the chairman of the City Duma.
Many kind words were said about the builders. Teachers, parents, and students thanked them for completing the construction on time, for their responsible approach to the work, and for the high-quality job they did.
Head of the Capital Construction Department of the Irkutsk city administration Vadim Litvinenko, to loud applause from the children, presented the school’s director Galina Bobenko with a symbolic key to the school.
After the ceremonial assembly, Mayor Viktor Kondrashov held the first lesson of this school year for the high school students of School No. 23.
“Communication with city residents is very important to me, and especially with the younger generation,” said Viktor Kondrashov. “By tradition, on September 1 I meet with the children. The conversation takes place in a dialogue format — I ask questions, and the children ask questions. In the first minutes they are reserved, then they relax, open up, and talk about their interests and future plans. I tell them about the city, about the prospects for its development, and about the fact that in 10–20 years they will determine Irkutsk’s policy, so it is very important now to get a good education.”
Based on materials from the press service of the Irkutsk city administration