Videoconference on organising children’s recreation
Videoconference on organising children’s recreation
Minister of Education and Science Dmitry Livanov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection Maxim Topilin and Plenipotentiary Envoy of the President to the Southern Federal District Vladimir Ustinov
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Minister of Education and Science Dmitry Livanov
Videoconference on organising children’s recreation
Transcript:
Dmitry Medvedev: Good afternoon to all present here and to those on the video link up.
We are having a regular, but a still important meeting on supporting recreation for children during the summer holidays. We hold such meetings approximately once a year, but the regions may have them more often. The opening of the summer season is close: about 52,000 recreation facilities will accept 8 million children, 8.4 million to be precise (100,000 more than last year). This is more than a half of all Russian schoolchildren, quite a large number. I will try not to state the obvious too much, but all the facilities must be ready to admit children.
During the academic year, children study and are under a great deal of psychological pressure. They need a chance to rest and just relax in the summer. Of course, they also can learn something, and there are lots of opportunities for that during the summer season.
The venue has been chosen for a reason – Orlyonok is our leading health resort, and it has a long history. It was very interesting for me to visit it for the first time. I didn’t come here as a child – apparently I wasn’t good enough. At that time the select few went both to Orlyonok and Artek. This is a modern and comfortable centre, although it was built in 1960. This is not just a health resort but also a place where children can develop their creative abilities. Most importantly, Orlyonok is a developing organism. It was visited by Yury Gagarin and Nikolai Baibakov. Mr Dzheus (Alexander Dzheus, General Director of the Orlyonok National Children’s Centre) told me that credit for the pier goes to Baibakov, who headed the Soviet State Planning Committee at the time. There are modern places and buildings, and this is a good example. Obviously this centre has more opportunities than others but at any rate it is always necessary to follow the best examples.
Many children spend their vacations here. Mr Dzheus how many come here a year?
Alexander Dzheus: More than 20,000.
Dmitry Medvedev: I know that seven new centres are supposed to be opened this year. I’m convinced that we should build many more all-season and summer centres. As far as I know 73 centres have undergone overhauls and are ready to accept children.
Dmitry Medvedev: And, most importantly, more than 80% of vouchers are free for children and their families. A child receives a voucher for achievements in different scholastic contests (each region receives a quota).
Orlynyok also accommodates orphans and children suffering hardships. A barrier-free environment is being created. Why am I talking about all this? Orlyonok is indeed a very famous place, but I think other places should also work in these areas – depending, of course, on their opportunities and funds (they are indispensable). At any rate, they should try.
Now a few words about organising children’s vacations this year. First, facilities for holiday centres and camps must be made ready. We all know that the absolute majority of children’s health centres were built in Soviet times. Many of them require major repairs and technical re-equipment. I was informed that in 2013 major repairs are planned at 505 summer camps and 39 sanatoriums. I’d like to hear today reports on how this work is being carried out and whether these centres and camps are ready to accommodate children in summer. I know that seven new centres are supposed to be opened this year. I’m convinced that we should build many more all-season and summer centres. As far as I know 73 centres have undergone overhauls and are ready to accept children. I am pleased to hear this because there were no repairs at all in the 1990s and no funds for them. Now such centres are being repaired. Some repairs take more time than others, but they are being done and new centres are being built.
The second issue I wanted to mention (it should be learnt as the Lord’s Prayer) is the need to ensure all the necessary security measures. We talk about this every year. This has to do with the rules for the transportation of children to health centres, fire safety, and control over the quality of water and food. Supervisors should pay special attention during excursions and when children go swimming, because they all want to swim in summer. I’d like to emphasise that the governors of the regions and camp counselors should constantly keep an eye on these issues.
Third, it is important to organise children’s leisure and make it as interesting as possible. I’m referring to sports competitions, physical fitness and other interesting things, like the opportunity to study foreign languages. In other words, it is essential to create all the necessary conditions for their self-fulfillment… There are many examples. By the way, now Orlyonok is conducting a contest under the name Eaglets of Russia. It also has different profile programmes.
To reach all these goals we must have excellent camp counselors. Their training is the fourth task. We have large centres with a system for selecting talented specialists – they exist in Orlyonok, Okean, Smena and all other major organisations. They combine theoretical and practical forms of education.
I’d also like to suggest discussing one more issue. We walked along the embankment today and watched children’s competitions and preparations for them. It is necessary to restore the practical training of students in summer camps that existed in Soviet times.
Let’s discuss this, because this exists in some places and not in others. It is very important to have group leaders and different specialists. They should have different categories and training. We need specialists in different fields of knowledge. It would be good if more men come to camps – this is important for all children’s health centres.
Let me repeat that we have a teleconference with some regions today. I hope they will tell us something as well. Now let’s move on to the issues on our agenda. First, I’ll give the floor to Mr Topilin, Minister of Labour and Social Security. Our federal and regional colleagues will speak afterwards. Go ahead, please.
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