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The federal programme for major school renovations is being carried out at the President’s instruction. The federal budget allocates over 315 billion rubles for its implementation in 2022–2026. Overall, 4,466 school buildings have been renovated in Russian regions and the plan provides for over 7,300 buildings more to be completed by the end of 2026.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

First, I would like to welcome teachers, educators from various regions of our country who are taking part in our work today. We will discuss with you the results already achieved and future plans for major school renovations.

This project is part of the comprehensive work to create modern conditions for educating and bringing up our younger generation. In 2019, we launched a programme for the construction of new schools, and since 2022 we have been upgrading the buildings of educational institutions.

The history of many school buildings goes back decades. These are schools with enduring traditions and strong staffs. Now they are getting the opportunity to work and teach at a fundamentally new level.

During the past two years, we brought up to standard over 4,000 school buildings in cooperation with the regions of the Federation. This means that at least 1.8 million children are now studying in modern, comfortable conditions. Importantly, we are paying special attention to improving material and technical resources in rural areas. This is an absolute priority of the programme and an important factor in ensuring fairness and equality of opportunity for young people.

Naturally, the main thing in this work is not simply the amount of renovated square metres but creating fundamentally new conditions in which children are comfortable and excited to study. And so, during the renovations it is necessary not only to upgrade utility systems, renovate building facades and paint walls and floors, although this is all important. These are basic requirements. But let me repeat that our goals under this programme are much broader. We must create a truly modern school environment for young citizens of our country in all regions, cities and rural areas.

What areas do I believe need special attention?

First of all, this concerns the formation of a modern learning environment, which provides help and motivation towards advancement and the search for new knowledge. I have already given instructions for extra equipment to be installed in physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science classrooms while major repairs are being carried out. Moreover, the equipment should be predominantly domestically produced and in demand in the educational process.

I would also like to ask you to complete work as soon as possible in providing schools not just with the Internet, but with high-speed access to the World Wide Web, which allows us to support modern programmes and digital products.

It is also essential to create the necessary basis for subjects like Basics of Homeland Security and Defence, and Industrial Arts, which will be taught under new programmes in the coming academic year.

And, of course, we need teachers capable of working in a new educational environment, in such technologically rich conditions. We need them to teach well, to approach this work thoroughly. Therefore, along with tidying up our schools, we will be engaged in the professional development of teachers, including young specialists.

Here we will use the capabilities not only of the specialised universities, but also of our classical universities. From the first year, we will have to enhance both the subject matter and the practical component of training, so that future teachers can provide lessons on their subject with the support of new technologies, help their students start a confident path in science, IT, genetics and medicine, and support schoolchildren in choosing engineering and working professions.

At the same time, we need to think about additional incentives and motivation so that today's graduates of teacher training colleges and universities will go to work in schools and see prospects for professional and career growth. I ask the Government and the regions of the Russian Federation to propose specific solutions to attract young teachers to schools.

Colleagues,

We are gradually strengthening the upbringing component of education. To avoid this work being formal, and to instead ensure it is truly interesting and exciting, we need, among other things, to create educational spaces in schools and to make arrangements for such features, including in the course of overhauling schools.

A number of schools, with the direct participation of children, parents and teachers, are already organising exhibitions devoted to the history of their native land, and the military and labour exploits of our people, and opening centres for children's initiatives and primary branches of the All-Russian Movement of Children and Youth.

School years – we are all familiar with this – are a time when you can really test yourself in a variety of areas: in science, technical creativity, art. Therefore, as part of the overhaul it is also necessary to renovate assembly halls, libraries, create an environment for hobby groups and clubs, and open up opportunities for school theatres. We launched this project in 2021, and there is an increasing number of theatres of this type and a growing interest among schoolchildren in this wonderful activity.

I would also like to ask my colleagues in the regions to actively support initiatives to set up creative and volunteer centres and art studios at schools. Of course, this all means investing in the future, so that our children grow up to be well-rounded, balanced and versatile people.

Colleagues,

I would also like to talk about protecting and improving the health of children. The values of a healthy, active lifestyle are instilled in childhood, so we pay special attention to all these issues.

Quite recently, perhaps someone noticed, I visited a school in Nizhny Tagil, where, as a result of major renovations, including in the dining hall and kitchen, they have the latest of everything they need to cook delicious, healthy breakfasts and lunches. This is a good practice to replicate in other schools. By the way, an assembly hall was built there as well.

The work also should be continued to create accessible sports infrastructure at schools: gyms, outdoor playgrounds, and so on. This need must be considered in the renovation programmes. And, of course, children must be able to undergo preventive medical exams and screenings right where they study, and school medical rooms should be updated.

I would like to ask both the Government and the regions to pay special attention to the safety of students. Here we need to act with real precision, in strict compliance with the established requirements, including equipping schools with emergency communication systems with the police, video surveillance, notifications, setting up a safe entry system, and supporting the work of specialists responsible for protecting school buildings and grounds.

Next, we also need to think about how to effectively organise the entire school space, for example, so that there are no queues in locker rooms, in the canteen, in the library, no overcrowded school halls and corridors. Experience in this has already been gained as part of another of our projects, Comfortable School, which is being implemented by the Federal Centre for Competence. It must be used as part of a major overhaul programme.

Of course, when improving the educational environment, it is necessary to consider the wishes of the schoolchildren (I have already spoken about this), and it is necessary to actively involve schoolchildren, teachers and parents in the discussion of design decisions, remodelling projects and renovation of schools. And, of course, they must take part in inspecting the work carried out and evaluating its quality, because they are the ones who will be learning and working in the renovated school.

I believe that the team can also offer interesting ideas on how to improve the school grounds. This must also meet their needs, as well as modern standards and requirements.

Let us elaborate on this. There are certainly a lot of questions. I'm sure there are some interesting ideas. Let us start, of course, with the Minister responsible for this area of work.

Please, Mr Kravtsov.

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