Teacher Elena Purimova leads a Russian language lesson for ninth-grade Valeria Yakusheva at a school...
Teacher Elena Purimova leads a Russian language lesson for ninth grader Valeria Yakusheva at a school in the remote village of Soino in Smolensk region, Russia. The number of students has steadily decreased from 200 at the time the school was opened about 40 years ago to just six today. Nevertheless, the school authorities and teachers say they are proud of the high level of education given to the few students who are treated individually and carefully here.
REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko