The State Duma continues to hotly discuss the introduction of family studies lessons in Russian schools

The State Duma continues to hotly discuss the introduction of family studies lessons in Russian schools. Officials from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Education and Science reported on the work done in this direction over the past months, but the deputies were not satisfied with the results. Parliamentarians demanded that specific tasks be set for the regions to implement the new course.

On Thursday, as part of a meeting of the working group of the Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children, parliamentarians discussed with representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Education and Science, as well as invited experts, the progress of work on integrating family studies into school curricula. Let us recall that the initiative to introduce such a course in Russian schools at the beginning of 2023 was made by the head of the relevant State Duma committee Nina Ostanina (Communist Party of the Russian Federation).

Representative of the Ministry of Education Anna Timofeeva reported that after the last meeting of the working group, the department made changes regarding the topic of traditional family values ​​to the federal state educational standards (FSES) of individual educational programs. In particular, we are talking about lessons about the surrounding world, music, art, Russian language, literature, history and social studies. “In addition, we have developed a program of extracurricular activities, “Talks about important things.” Every year we have a new program. Both this year and in 2024, themes dedicated to family traditional values ​​are reflected there,” Mrs. Timofeeva assured.

Director of the Institute for the Study of Childhood, Family and Education of the Russian Academy of Education Natalya Agre added that topics related to family studies are included in all three education programs at educational levels – from kindergarten to secondary vocational education: “In kindergarten we already introduce works, games, cartoons and books that form the prerequisites for children to see themselves as future parents.”

“You are not responding to the agenda,” MP Tatyana Larionova (United Russia) was indignant. “The lessons that Anna Aleksandrovna (Timofeeva) spoke about.— “Kommersant”), this is the right thing. But family studies lessons are not lessons in social studies, literature, history, and so on. These are lessons in family science that should be taught during extracurricular activities.” Mrs. Larionova justified the importance of the subject as follows: “Out of five marriages, four end in divorce, 40% of children live in families that are not the authority in the formation of family spiritual traditional values.” She is sure that “relying on the fact that only in the family we can give something useful, important, eternal is a utopia.”

Mrs. Timofeeva objected that the program of extracurricular activities had already been developed: “For it (the program.— “Kommersant”) there is a positive expert opinion, it is placed in the State Register, that is, any school can take it and implement it. There are hours for extracurricular activities at all levels of education.” It is too early to talk about specific results, the representative of the Ministry of Education is sure, since the school year has just begun.

“I’m listening to you, and I have the feeling that you are reporting to us: “We discuss traditional values ​​here and discuss them there.” Do we really need the subject “family studies”? “I have the feeling that you don’t need it,” deputy Elena Vtorygina (United Russia) supported her colleague. “You say that these are (materials developed by the Ministry of Education.— “Kommersant”) is advisory in nature, and we would like you to set tasks for the subjects.”

Natalya Agre reminded parliamentarians that today there is no mandatory “family studies” lesson in the educational program: “We have “Conversations about Important Things”, where we can integrate this system, there is still one hour left for extracurricular activities. We can recommend, but force, until there is no decision that there is such a school subject.”

The speech of the representative of the Ministry of Education and Science Alexander Vedekhin, who noted that work in universities is proceeding within the framework of recommendations, was also not pleasing to the deputies. “We asked (the Ministry of Education and Science.— “Kommersant”), firstly, to consider the issues of training and retraining of personnel for educational institutions. But can’t these topics be the topics of coursework, dissertations, and scientific research? We have given you more global, more serious tasks,” Deputy Larionova reproached the official.

Parliamentarians urged representatives of ministries to change their approach to work and report results in two months.

Emilia Gabdullina