Budget spending on patriotic education tripled – Kommersant

11.4 billion rubles were allocated from the budget for the implementation of the Patriotic Education federal project in 2022, although initially it was planned to allocate 5 billion rubles for it. The total amount turned out to be three times more than in 2021, when 3.4 billion rubles were allocated for the project. The newspaper reported “News” with reference to the conclusion of the State Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children on the execution of the last year’s budget.

As follows from the document, the money was used to pay for the work of advisers to directors for education and interaction with children’s public associations. In 2022, 8.8 thousand positions of such specialists were opened in 49 regions of Russia. As stated in the document, the project also “developed and is implementing a set of measures aimed at developing a system of civic and patriotic education of students.”

Also, 11,000 schools received sets of state symbols, which were purchased by federal project funds. As Izvestia writes with reference to the Ministry of Education, by the end of 2024, more than 33,000 educational organizations will receive such kits.

Funds from the federal project were also directed to holding thematic patriotic events. According to the newspaper, 3.5 million children took part in the work of the Russian Movement of Schoolchildren (it ceased to exist a year ago, having joined the Movement of the First), and more than 2.2 million participated in other patriotic events. Almost 4 million schoolchildren became participants in the all-Russian competition “Big Change”.

Izvestia does not give the exact amount of costs by category. The Ministry of Education did not comment on the increase in spending. They noted that the federal project provides for comprehensive work to develop infrastructure, human resources, as well as support for “interesting, high-quality patriotic programs and projects for children and youth.” In addition, within the framework of the program, an annual grant competition is held for NGOs to hold patriotic events with the participation of children and youth.

Olesya Pavlenko