The Government has reported on measures to implement the Instruction of President Vladimir Putin No Pr-3410 of December 22, 2012 (Clause 3, Sub-Clause 19) on the plan for supporting Russian-language schools in the Commonwealth of Independent States and other countries.
In particular, the Government reported that the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have drafted a plan to provide systematic support for Russian-language schools abroad.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates that there are over 10,000 Russian-language schools, which account for 75% of all schools in Belarus and for 40% of schools in Kazakhstan. Over 6,000 schools provide Russian-language tuition either in full or in specialised courses.
The following measures are to be implemented in 2013-2015:
· Draft, print and deliver textbooks, teaching aids, methodological and background information materials on the Russian language, literature and culture, with due account for ethnic, cultural, social and professional needs of the target audiences in the former Soviet republics and other countries in various forms of additional education, independent studies and professional training;
· Promote professional training and retraining of teachers for Russian-language educational institutions in the former Soviet republics and other countries;
· Draft and test background information materials on the Russian language and culture in the CIS and other countries.
The funding for the above measures is to be provided out of the federal targeted programme Russian Language.
A register of Russian-language schools abroad will be compiled as part of the implementation of the above measures.
In the future, there are plans to update the register on a regular basis in order to determine the nature, content, volumes and forms of information, methodological and material and technical support for each school.
In addition, the following measures are to be implemented:
· Give skilled methodology experts and teachers long-term assignments at schools abroad to provide academic and methodological support;
· Strengthen the academic and methodological base of Russian-language studies abroad by supporting the establishment and operation of a network of centres offering courses on Russia and the Russian language, including at universities being established by the Russian Federation in foreign countries.
Favourable conditions to launch the processes of establishing Russian schools and involving non-governmental organisations or Russian communities in their implementation will be ensured under international treaties and agreements being drafted by the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the concerned national agencies of foreign countries.
