Russia: State Duma resolves issue of state language education

Recently, the State Duma hosted an extended meeting for a task group on finalizing the amendments to the Federal Law “On Education in the Russian Federation”. The big problem revolving around the study of state languages, which manifested itself after complaints from parents in Tatarstan, seems to have been resolved. Deputies spoke about the coming changes, as reported by FederalPress.

The members of the working group held the discussion behind closed doors. We do not exclude the possibility that the appearance of the deputies before journalists was preceded by verbal battles, because the problem of studying national languages ​​in schools so recently turned out to be socially explosive. This meeting was preceded by a scandal in Tatarstan, where the parents of schoolchildren complained that in educational institutions too many hours are dedicated to the study of the Tatar language. In their view, education of the Russian language suffered because of this. Then there were the first rumors, the essence of which was reduced to one — native languages ​​will no longer be mandatory in the curriculum. Representatives of ethnic communities were outraged by this prospect.

Th Chairman of the State Duma Committee for Education and Science, Vyacheslav Nikonov, came out with a statement to reassure supporters of the compulsory study of national languages. “Native languages ​​and native literature will remain compulsory in the educational program,” Nikonov told reporters.

According to him, all the participants of the working group are interested in preserving the national languages ​​of all the peoples of Russia. Nikonov announced the creation of a special fund which will improve teaching programs. In addition, as the working group members said, the current proposals need to be complemented with a number of by-laws.

“The decision was made to write down, in the draft resolution, a proposal to create a plan for teaching native and state languages ​​of the Russian Federation. I am sure we will be able to do a lot to support the study of the native and state languages ​​of the Russian Federation through the creation of a fund that will develop textbooks and standards for studying the languages ​​of the peoples who inhabit our country,” Nikonov said.

Deputy Andrei Isaev said that the task group faced a very difficult task: to ensure voluntary participation in the choice and study of language,s and at the same time ensure the compulsory study of native languages. The parliamentarian assured that a compromise was found. It would seem that all parties should be happy. But there is a nuance.

“Teaching the state languages ​​of the republics, the native languages, ​​remains mandatory in the curriculum. There can be no doubt of this. Under this bill, the Russian language will be included in the list native languages; currently it is only the state language of the country. Including it among the native languages ​​will allow you to choose Russian as your native language. The right for parents or legal representatives to choose a mother tongue,” Isaev explained.

Skeptical comments from regional politicians and public figures appeared in the local presses, claiming that state ethnic identities could suffer as a consequence of such a reform and the number of students choosing state languages ​​would be sharply reduced. They were challenged by members of the task group, and such fears were called baseless.

To confirm their good intentions, parliamentarians spoke about the inspections of the Rosobrnadzor (Federal Service for the Supervision of Education and Science) and the Prosecutor General’s Office into language issues in the national republics. According to them, a number of programs and textbooks have not been examined. However, they did not mention specific figures, names, or regions. In the margins of the meeting, the members of the task group clarified that the specifics are expected at the next regular meeting of the State Duma.

The first reading of the bill will be held on June 19.

Translated from gumilev-center.ru: http://www.gumilev-center.ru/gosduma-preodolela-yazykovojj-barer-deputaty-opredelilas-s-tem-kak-v-shkolakh-budut-izuchat-nacionalnye-yazyki/

Russia: Mufti of Tatarstan opposes the bill against mandatory study of regional languages

The head of the Spiritual Board of Muslims of Tatarstan, Kamil Hazrat Samigullin, spoke out in support of the petition against the draft law to forbid the mandatory study of regional languages in schools of the republics, as National Accent reports. He requested support for the petition in an open letter to the public, published on the website of the Board on May 23.

“In the Noble Qur’an it is said:” O people! Verily, We created you from a man and a woman and made you peoples and tribes so that you might know each other.”(49:13). This important verse points to the fact that the basis of relations between peoples is mutual knowledge, and also that each nation, by the will of the Most High, is endowed with its own national identity. Hence it becomes obvious: the native language is a trust, something that is given to us by Allah for careful and responsible safekeeping. In other words, if we lose a language, we are failing to fulfill the order of the Creator!”, Samigullin said.

The petition “No law against native languages” has won more than 34,000 votes as of May 23. Its authors ask Vladimir Putin not to allow the consideration of the bill against the mandatory study of national languages.

Translated from gumilev-center.ru