The Ministry of Education and Science has drafted a concept of mathematics education in the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as the concept) in cooperation with the Russian Academy of Science and the Russian Academy of Education to ensure the fulfilment of item 1, sub-item 1, paragraph 3 of the President’s Executive order No. 599 of 7 May 2012 on Measures to Implement Government Policy on Education and Science.
The concept is based on analytical data on the level of mathematics education in the country and represents a system of views on the basic principles, goals, tasks and major directions in the development of mathematics education in the Russian Federation.
Doctor of Physics and Mathematics Professor Alexei Semyonov coordinated the elaboration of the concept by a working group consisting of leading scientists and teachers of mathematics education.
In September 2012 the working group determined general methods for drafting the concept.
In elaborating the concept under the Federal Targeted Programme for the Development of Education in 2012-2013 the working group studied the level of mathematics education and knowledge of over one million school students and 20,000 university students in 80 regions of the Russian Federation, and analysed the results of the unified state exam in mathematics in 2009-2011 as well as intellectual mathematics competitions. The group also analysed the mathematics education systems of 15 countries, including 47 educational standards and 49 educational programmes.
Since March 2013 the concept was subjected to broad public and professional discussion at the federal and regional levels.
In addition, the group created a site, and involved many online information resources and media in this work.
The Ministry of Education and Science approved the draft concept at the meeting of its board on 29 November 2013.
The concept classifies problems of developing mathematics education into three major groups: motivational, substantive and personnel issues. It formulates the tasks and directions for developing mathematics education in general and for every level of education (from preschool to higher education – training of top-qualification personnel), extra curricular education and science in this field.
The concept conforms to the Government Programme on the development of Education in 2013-2020.
The Ministry of Education and Science has received a written directive to approve, in the next three months, a plan of action on implementing the concept.
The concept is aimed at upgrading the level of education and maths culture and enhancing the efficiency of maths methods and instruments. It is intended to allow Russia to match the global level of information and communication technology and promote high achievements in mathematics and computer science.
