The Deputy Head of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev, considers it necessary to eliminate gaps in the country’s legislation and provide for mechanism for teaching foreigners’ children the Russian language depending on their knowledge of the Russian language, RIA Novosti reported on June 6.
“The problem is that our legislation does not provide for special mechanisms for teaching children in the Russian language depending on the quality of their knowledge in Russian, Medvedev was cited as saying at a meeting of the Interagency Commission for Improvement of the National Migration Policy.
He recalled that in accordance with Russia’s legislation, children from migrants’ детей из семей мигрантов принимают в детские сады и школы на общих основаниях – на тех же, что и детей россиян.
“The law does not establish any special requirements for proficiency in Russian for such school students. On the one hand, it provides equal opportunities for all. Irrespective of their citizenship, to get education in Russia,” said Medvedev. “But on the other hand, there classes, in which 10%-20% of pupils barely speak Russian. They are isolated, often become aggressive. If there are a lot of such teens, then they also form groups according to ethnic principle. The consequences are known, this causes a negative resonance.”
Medvedev has proposed to eliminate legislative gaps. “This gap in the law…needs to be filled as soon as possible. We need to set up a system that would allow foreigners’ children, who do not speak Russian, to successfully catch up other pupils. And, of course, it is necessary to provide for an adequate amount of funding, he added.
