Decision of the Federal Council No 48, 19.12.2018

The YABLOKO party stands for the priority of education, development of future generations and creation of conditions for their self-realisation. High-quality and affordable education is the foundation of development and prosperity of the country. In the 21st century, it is the education which determines what countries will be able to pave their “road to the future”: develop new technologies, renewable energy, culture and arts, and what countries will remain in the past forever. The Russian authorities do not understand the strategic role of education, which explains the wrong priorities of the state budget [policies] and the incompetent policy of optimization of the social sphere resulting in the closure of schools and institutions of supplementary education, outflow of specialists [from the sector] and endless increase of the burden onto teachers.

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Despite the existence of the state programme “Assistance to the Creation of New Places in the Organisations of General Education in the Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation” for 2016-2025, the problem of second shifts [in schools] is not solved. Almost 2 million schoolchildren study in the second shift, in 2018 their number increased by 40.000 thousand pupils. 10,000 schoolchildren continue to study in the third shift, which, according to officials and government documents, should no longer be used. This adversely affects the health of children and reduces their opportunities for recreation and additional education.

The results of the programme are below criticism today. By 2020, in addition to the programme, it is already necessary to create 263,000 additional places [for pupils in schools], worth 186 billion roubles, and in the coming years these figures will only grow. Financing of construction [of new schools] under the programme is baffling: despite the fact that the programme provides for expenses amounting to 2.84 trillion roubles, the federal government allocates [for the programme] only 25 billion roubles per year.

In many regions, the situation is at a critical level: in the Krasnodar Territory 22 per cent of schoolchildren study in the evenings, in the Republic of Buryatia 23 per cent [of schoolchildren study in the second shift], and more than 70 per cent of schools in one of the largest Russian cities, Novosibirsk, study in two shifts. In the Republic of Dagestan, 47 per cent of educational institutions require capital repairs, and 39 per cent in Bashkortostan.

In the situation when 700 schools are in a critical condition, 9,000 schools require major repairs, 2,500 schools are not equipped with warm toilets, sewage and heating, the state must to contribute to the speedy implementation of the programme, especially when additional sources of [state] revenues emerge. Further indifference of the authorities to this issue threatens the safety and health of children. Partial decisions are unacceptable here, it is necessary to act today. Now that the country has received enormous revenues from natural resources, we must make the implementation of the programme the most important task for the next five years.

Projected additional [federal budget] revenue in 2018-2021 (11.5 trillion roubles) is three times the amount of funds needed to create new places in schools. We consider it absolutely necessary to direct part of this money to the implementation of the programme “Assistance to the Creation of New Places in the Organisations of General Education in the Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation”. Using these funds, one can not only cover the existing funding gap, but also significantly speed up the implementation of the programme.

YABLOKO demands that the President, the government and the parliament make the necessary amendments to the budget for the next year and subsequent years, which will allow the programme to be fully implemented, taking into account the real needs in school places.

Solving the problem of second shifts is only a matter of political will and professional competence of the country’s leadership. We will ensure the future of the country for many years to come by investing in education, comfort and safety of schoolchildren.

Emilia Slabunova

Yabloko Chair