Children who do not know Russian will be deprived of the opportunity to enroll in schools in Russia
A law has been passed in Russia according to which foreign citizens must pass a Russian language proficiency test to study in general education schools. Children who are unable to pass the test will be deprived of the right to attend school. The program was approved in its first reading by the State Duma with a vote of 409 in favor and 1 against. It is expected that the testing will be conducted free of charge at state or municipal educational institutions. The Ministry of Education of Russia will establish the procedure for the testing.
In addition, relevant documents regarding the place of residence of children wishing to enroll in general education schools in Russia must be submitted.
The authors of the program noted that 41% of migrant children attending school in 2024 had issues with the Russian language. According to them, this affects the quality of education for other children in the classroom.
The regulations will come into effect in April 2025.