Russia says children from occupied cities in Zaporizhzhia will follow the Russian school curriculum from 1 September
journalist at Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia
12 June 2022
Russian Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov has said that schools in the occupied cities of Zaporizhzhia Oblast are to work according to Russian standards from 1 September. At the same time, the children will allegedly continue studying the Ukrainian language.
Kravtsov made this statement when he arrived in Melitopol, which is temporarily occupied by Russia, RIA Novosti reports.
Kravtsov believes that schoolchildren from the occupied territories in Zaporizhzhia Oblast "will have no obvious problems" studying Russian and Ukrainian, as they have "common language roots".
"We have common language roots, so I don't think there will be any obvious problems. Of course, we will make it possible to study Russian, but I believe that the study of Ukrainian should remain in schools, as is the case in all national republics [in the Russian Federation - ed.].
In Russia, there is definitely an opportunity for those who want to study the national language. This issue is gradual, there are appropriate methods, and I do not think there will be any serious problems ," he told journalists.
Kravtsov claims that Russia has already "taken some steps to integrate" the Russian education system for schools in the occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, writes the Russian media outlet TASS.
"We will do our best to open schools on 1 September so that they are as ready as possible to work according to Russian standards.
Integration will take place, we are already taking some steps in this direction: teacher training, the supply of textbooks - these issues have been resolved; we are working with infrastructure to get schools ready for 1 September," the Russian education minister said.
Kravtsov stated that "all the necessary decisions regarding schools in the region will be made before the beginning of the school year."
"The school year will begin on 1 September. Later in the school year, any issues that arise will be resolved with colleagues on an ongoing basis," said Kravtsov.
In addition, he said, Ukrainian students will be able to take part in competitions for "young Russians", programmes such as Big Change and events organised by the platform Russia - Land of Opportunity.
We would remind readers that in late March, the occupiers in Melitopol forced teachers to teach children in Russian. According to the language ombudsman Taras Kremin, similar cases have occurred in cities and villages in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, as well as in the Kherson region.
Now the occupiers in Melitopol have started handing out Russian passports to Ukrainians and are even declaring preparations for the so-called "referendum".
