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President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Good afternoon, friends. I congratulate you all on this special occasion that is the start of the new school year.

The idea that emerged a while ago to establish presidential cadet academies is now becoming reality. The first such academy has opened here in Orenburg. It is a great pleasure to be here with you today for this new school’s opening.

As most of our initiatives, this idea is rooted in historical traditions, and there is a lot of history behind this school’s development too. As you know, a cadet academy was first opened here in the nineteenth century, and subsequently became the Cossack Cadet School. During the Soviet period we had military colleges here, and now the new Presidential Cadet Academy has opened its doors.

This is an excellent thing because I am sure that this school will give its students a top notch education. You have all the conditions you need for this. I have not seen everything yet, but what I have seen so far is impressive in itself. You have modern buildings that have been completely refurbished, and I hope the academy’s executives will show me some of what’s inside, show me what has been accomplished in this short space of time.

Speaking to the cadets now, I know you are all very happy to be the first intake in this new academy. This is indeed a great honour and joy, because everything here has been carefully planned and designed, using the very latest technology. You have proper modern classrooms, excellent recreation and sports facilities, and all the most advanced technology. I am sure this will make your time here interesting. This is the way modern schools should look, and this is why we are modernising our education system and investing in its development.

This is the first presidential cadet academy. We will open seven more such schools, one in each federal district. I hope very much that the education they offer and the learning process itself will be attractive and interesting, and that these academies will ultimately produce well-trained specialists who will go on to continue their studies at university level or serve their homeland in other ways. I believe that the Orenburg Cadet Academy will become alma mater to young people filled with true patriotic spirit.

I am very happy to see you all here today. Most of the students here are the children of military servicemen and Defence Ministry civilian personnel. Also studying here are children who, sadly, have lost their parents, and this school will become a real home for them. So I wish all of you a wonderful journey ahead. 

I congratulate you sincerely on the start of the new school year and the opening of the first Presidential Cadet Academy.