TOGO, 6.10.08, (misna) - Today is the first day of the school year for some 2-million children, delayed by the flooding that struck the nation. The government decided to introduce free schooling for children between the ages of six and nine. This is an important decision in a country where school attendance dropped drastically since 1990, passing from a rate of 95% to 73%. Annual school fees paid by families vary between 1,500 cfa and 8,000, depending on the region, and now the children will be exempt on presenting a birth certificate certifying their age. There will also be government funds for basic school materials, including books, which are normally paid for by families.