Patriotic centers under the management of vice-rectors have been announced at universities

The president spoke at the Eastern Economic Forum about the emergence of a new structure in higher education – patriotic centers modeled on the center created at the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU). Also, since last year, universities have recommended the position of vice-rector for educational work. As for secondary schools, deputy directors appeared there even earlier, and then advisers on educational work. And some also have counselors. So what do teachers do in all these new or returned positions from the past, and how exactly do they work?

Of course, sites like the one already operating at FEFU are a matter of the future. Not only is it organized for students to pass the GTO or set up a military history museum, but there is also a class of e-sports military-tactical games, an interactive gallery, a digital shooting range… Both technically and financially this is not an easy task. The President urged people to take their time so that such a center “works properly.” “They need not only technical means, but also specialists who would properly, competently, and at a good professional level prepare future students of these centers,” Putin said. And he noted that universities that do not have military departments need to think carefully about creating such centers.

There are now vice-rectors for educational work in all universities. Somewhere they are simply “on educational”, somewhere also “on youth policy”, there are also “on public relations”, “on methodological work”, “on youth programs”, etc. Actually, from the additional “and “It is clear who the universities promoted to the position from among their own ranks – social historians, social activists, methodologists or PR people. The range of responsibilities is somewhat blurred: this includes assistance in the admissions campaign and holding various events, shows, festivals, and seminars inside and outside the university. The position also has a supervisory function, and some vice-rectors see it as monitoring “manifestations of extremism, destructive manifestations.” Also, educational deputies in HE can contact law enforcement agencies and generally “monitor the problems of student life.”

However, with the advent of two new modules in universities, “Fundamentals of Russian Statehood” for first-year students and “Service Learning,” it is possible that the activities of deputy rectors for education will concentrate around them.

Deputy directors for educational work at schools also occupy a slightly vague niche. In the list of job responsibilities, they are responsible for coordinating “Conversations about Important Things” and holding important events: for Victory Day, National Unity Day and other “red” dates. In practice, the “VR deputies” who appeared in schools in 2021 are labeled with all sorts of things.

“Usually, the position of deputy for VR is offered to young teachers, and refusals are not really listened to,” says Alina, a teacher of Russian language and literature from Kostroma. — Many people agree because of the additional payments, but they are different everywhere, in the region it is 5-15 thousand rubles. I get paid 12, but apart from the ROV, concerts and part of the “extracurricular activities”, I don’t lead anything, everything else is up to the director. But I know colleagues who, as deputies in charge of “educational education,” were assigned everything, including tests and preparation for the Unified State Exam. And they are also asked to coordinate parents so that they go to meetings and holiday events, participate in gatherings, voting on platforms… Add a wave of “educational” reporting, including photo and video reports from events. And plans for educational work: annual, from each class teacher, magazines and even materials from teachers’ councils… And different injury standards, work with the police, and so on.

So, perhaps, the second position “on a similar topic,” advisor to the director for educational work, did not appear in vain. Advisors were first tested in 10 regions in 2021, then implemented in 45, which is already half the country. It is believed that the goals of a specialist in the position of advisor to the director are to organize extracurricular activities so that children are involved not in yard life, hooliganism and processions, but in the Youth Army or the “First Movement”, acquiring “spiritual and moral values.” And the tasks look like this: “to come up with activities within the framework of the federal agenda, provide methodological support to teachers, introduce new forms of work with children into school practice.”

In practice, this means participation in national projects and competitions not only at the federal, but also at the local level. And the same ROV, methodological assistance to teachers, the introduction of “functional literacy”. Help with formation and song reviews, festive lineups and weekly flag raisings. In general, we can say that the adviser for educational work duplicates the deputy director for the same work, only with a greater bias towards ideology.

And, finally, school counselors are former teacher-organizers. A position that not only existed at school before, but also exists as a specialty in pedagogical universities. Therefore, here the list of responsibilities is much clearer: the teacher-organizer organizes all additional education (DPO): clubs, sections, school associations, summer camps. And he takes on the school “movement” such as self-government days, flash mobs, KVN and theaters. Many were attracted by the minimal bureaucracy in this work. In some schools, such a specialist was called a counselor all this time for clarity. In others, the organizer was recently renamed a counselor. Now we can assume that the “teacher-counselor” will become the right hand of the educational adviser in order to help him not only in extracurricular activities, but also in ideological activities.

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 29113 dated September 13, 2023

Newspaper headline:
Talk about counselors