Russia's new school course on spiritual and moral culture to be built around 17 values
In short
Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov said the new course "Spiritual and Moral Culture of Russia" for grades 5 to 7 will be built around 17 values set out in a presidential decree of 9 November 2022. RIA Novosti reported that fifth-graders start in the second half of this school year and sixth- and seventh-graders from 1 September 2027.
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The new course "Spiritual and Moral Culture of Russia" for grades 5 to 7 will be built around 17 values set out in a decree of President Vladimir Putin, Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov said. RIA Novosti, quoting the ministry press service, gave his words: the content is built around the 17 values set out in the presidential decree of 9 November 2022 and presents them step by step, from small actions to conscious social responsibility, through examples of heroes. [ 1 , 3 ]
The ministry named strengthening civic unity and gaining moral guidance as the aim of the subject. Kommersant listed some of the values in the decree: human rights and freedoms, patriotism, service to the Fatherland, strong family, creative labor, mercy, justice, collectivism and historical memory. TASS headlined its report with the name "DNK Rossii" (ДНК России) for the course and said its content would be built around 17 traditional values; only the headline was available. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
RIA Novosti wrote that unified state textbooks for the subject in grades 5 to 7 were earlier added to the federal textbook list. According to the Education Ministry, one feature of the textbooks will be video segments about heroes. RIA Novosti also wrote that training programmes are being prepared for teachers of spiritual values. [ 1 ]
On timing, RIA Novosti reported, citing an interview with the agency, that fifth-graders will start studying the country's spiritual and moral culture in the second half of this school year, and pupils in grades 6 and 7 from 1 September 2027. Kommersant repeated these dates and cited RIA Novosti. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The course sets out how the Education Ministry wants schools to teach the values named in the 2022 decree. The documents give no further information on how schools will apply it.
Key facts
- The course "Spiritual and Moral Culture of Russia" is for grades 5 to 7 and will be built around 17 values. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The values are set out in a decree of President Vladimir Putin dated 9 November 2022. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov announced the course content, according to the ministry press service. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The ministry named strengthening civic unity and gaining moral guidance as the aim of the course. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Fifth-graders will begin the subject in the second half of this school year; pupils in grades 6 and 7 begin on 1 September 2027, RIA Novosti reported. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Unified state textbooks for grades 5 to 7 have been added to the federal textbook list. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Kravtsov said the course content is built around 17 values set out in the president's decree of 9 November 2022 and presents them step by step, from small actions to conscious social responsibility, through examples of heroes. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The ministry gave the course's aim as strengthening civic unity and gaining moral guidance. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Unified state textbooks for the subject in grades 5 to 7 have been added to the federal textbook list. [ 1 ]
Still unclear
- The full list of the 17 values. Kommersant names only some of them (human rights and freedoms, patriotism, service to the Fatherland, strong family, creative labor, mercy, justice, collectivism and historical memory); the other documents do not list them.
- What TASS reported beyond its headline. Only the TASS headline is available. It calls the course "DNK Rossii" (ДНК России); the other documents do not use that name.
- Who gave the interview to RIA Novosti on the start dates. The RIA Novosti text available is incomplete and does not name the speaker. Kommersant cites RIA Novosti for the dates.