Vladimir Putin toured the school, dropping in on several class-rooms where lessons were underway. He was particularly impressed with an interactive classroom featuring a wall-sized screen. "The children are delighted," the lyceum's principal said. "Me, too," the prime minister replied.

A girl at an art class gave Vladimir Putin a clay figurine. Thanking her for the gift Vladimir Putin said: "I know about the problem you all face. The school needs a bus and an auditorium. My colleagues and I will give you a bus and an auditorium."

The prime minister was also shown a computer class where first year students are taught to breathe correctly using special sensors.

Vladimir Putin subsequently inspected the gym and spent some time playing volleyball with schoolchildren.

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After the lyceum, Mr Putin who has recently taken up ice hockey, visited the rink in Cheryomushki town and talked to the coaches. Yevgeny Dod, the head of the electricity generating company RusHydro, told Mr Putin that the company planned to build a full-size hockey stadium worth about 130 million roubles there.