The Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation has clarified that the decision to reduce native language classes for first-grade students in Russian schools is a measure to manage the permissible academic workload on pupils.
This explanation follows an appeal from the Ministry of Education and Science of Tatarstan, which had requested the Russian Ministry of Education to reconsider the planned reduction of native language instruction in primary schools from two hours to one hour per week, effective September 1, 2025.
“Paragraph 9 of point 3.4.16 of the SanPiN (Sanitary Rules and Norms) states that the maximum permissible daily load for first-grade students should not exceed four lessons; five lessons are permitted once a week if an additional physical education hour is included. Consequently, the weekly workload for first-graders must not exceed 20 hours. A 21-hour week is only allowed if the curriculum allocates 3 hours per week for physical education,” the Ministry stated.
The Ministry further elaborated that all five versions of the federal curricula for schools offering native language studies maintain a weekly workload of 20 hours for first-grade students. In some curriculum variations, one hour is allocated to native language and native language literary reading. Another option, while adhering to the 20-hour total weekly load, permits two hours for native language and literary reading in the native tongue.
“For students in grades 2-4 and 5-9, no changes are foreseen in the number of hours allocated for the study of native language and native literature. This is not a reduction in the overall volume of native language teaching,” the department emphasized.
The Ministry added that educational institutions, in light of the adjustments to the weekly load for first-grade students, have the flexibility to modify the format of native language instruction by leveraging extracurricular activities.
