How regions are fighting education optimization: a bill banning the closure of schools without residents' consent has been introduced in the State Duma.
A bill has been introduced in the State Duma that could prohibit the closure of schools without the consent of local residents. The initiative was sponsored by deputies from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) faction, who propose a radical change in the approach to the reorganization of educational institutions.
Protecting rural educational institutions from closure
Members of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) faction have proposed amendments to the Law on Education in the Russian Federation, which would allow local authorities to liquidate or reorganize educational institutions only after consulting with local residents and with their consent. Specifically, this decision is aimed at stopping the uncontrolled closure of understaffed educational institutions in small towns.
According to one of the bill's authors, First Deputy Chairman of the Party Central Committee Yuri Afonin, when a school in a village closes, children are transported to another, sometimes tens of kilometers away. Consequently, this creates enormous logistical and practical problems for families.
"Children have to wait long hours at bus stops for school buses, no matter the weather. Younger students have to wait several hours for older students to finish their classes before getting home by bus after school. And school buses often break down. And our rural roads are sometimes simply in terrible condition."
Furthermore, a whole group of regional representatives participated in drafting the document. Other authors of the bill include Mikhail Berulava, a deputy from the Chelyabinsk region; Maria Drobot, a deputy from the Perm region; Vladimir Isakov, a deputy from the Omsk region; Airat Gibatdinov, a senator from the executive branch of the Ulyanovsk region; and Nina Ostanina, chair of the Committee for the Protection of the Family. However, this bill is expected to be considered by the next convocation of the State Duma.
Context: A large-scale crisis of education "optimization" in Russia's regions
We've added this context to illustrate the scale of the issue raised by the deputies. Education "optimization" has been underway in various regions of Russia for a long time, sparking regular protests. For example, in the Vladimir Region, it was recently decided to close four schools. Meanwhile, in Achinsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, local residents openly protested the closure of one of the schools during a meeting with the head of the district.
Ultimately, public discontent is forcing the ruling party to respond. The United Russia faction in the Krasnoyarsk Krai Legislative Assembly even convened a special meeting to discuss "rumors related to upcoming changes in the organization of the educational process." If the Communist Party's bill is passed, regional officials will no longer be able to close schools to save money.
