Putin, when asked about kindergartens, spoke about priorities given a lack of funds

Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with residents of Anadyr as part of a working trip to Chukotka on January 10, said that budget “funds are always not enough,” so priorities need to be set when allocating money under federal programs. In particular, according to the state program “Development of Education,” according to him, initially the priority was the construction and renovation of schools, and only then kindergartens.

“Is it possible to include kindergartens, colleges, boarding schools, and technical schools in this program? Now they are undergoing repairs at the expense of the district budget, but these funds are not enough,” Lyubov Lyubushkina, a teacher of Russian language and literature at secondary school No. 1 in Anadyr, asked the president (quote from website Kremlin).

“First. “There are always not enough funds,” answered Vladimir Putin. “There are countless questions for which there are not enough funds, there are always a lot of them.” When resolving issues of this kind, one must always be guided by considerations of priorities.”

He explained that within the framework of the Development of Education program, it was decided “to begin major repairs and construction of schools at the federal level, although this is the responsibility of regions and municipalities,” “they still decided that at the first stage it is necessary to help schools.”

“Of course, the problems of kindergartens are very close to this, because especially the older groups must then smoothly develop into school. This is the kind of connection that should exist, and this is the next stage, in my opinion,” added Vladimir Putin. As for the issue of technical schools and colleges, according to the president, it is planned “to be resolved within the framework of the so-called Specialty program together with business representatives.”

Educational Development Program said on the government website, was launched in December 2017. Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov in October 2023 reported, that 575.2 billion rubles have been allocated in the federal budget for the implementation of this program in 2024. Compared to the budget for 2023–2025, the minister said, the amount of funding for the program in 2024 was increased by 19.9 billion rubles, in 2025 – by 21.7 billion rubles, in 2026 – by 14.6 billion rubles .