Russia adds unified Spiritual and Moral Culture textbooks for grades 5-7 to federal list
In short
Unified state textbooks for the school subject "Spiritual and Moral Culture of Russia" for grades 5 to 7 have been included in the federal list of textbooks, Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov told Interfax. Pupils are to begin studying the subject in January 2027.
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Unified state textbooks for the school subject "Spiritual and Moral Culture of Russia" for grades 5 to 7 have been included in the federal list of textbooks. TASS, Interfax and RBC reported the listing on 21 and 22 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov announced it to Interfax. He said the Education Ministry continues work to strengthen a unified educational space and to teach on the basis of traditional spiritual and moral values. According to Kravtsov, the course is built around 17 values set out in presidential decree No. 809 of 9 November 2022. He said it presents them step by step, from small acts to conscious social responsibility, through examples of heroes. [ 2 ]
Kravtsov said pupils will start studying the new subject in January 2027. Textbooks for grade 5 are to reach schools by the end of 2026, and those for grades 6 and 7 are to be supplied by 1 September 2027. [ 2 ]
The minister said introducing the subject is aimed at strengthening civic unity and giving pupils moral guidelines. In his words, it provides a basis for an informed civic position grounded in historical experience and the spiritual traditions of Russian society. [ 2 ]
Kravtsov also said each hero in the textbooks will have a separate video, with a link placed in the relevant paragraph. He said this supplements traditional teaching approaches with modern formats. He added that the ministry has organised professional development programmes for teachers so the new subject can be taught well with the unified textbooks. [ 2 ]
Kravtsov said preparation of unified textbooks for other subjects continues in parallel and that they will be prepared for all subjects in the school programme. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The listing sets the schedule for introducing a new school subject with unified state textbooks. Kravtsov said unified textbooks are also being prepared for other subjects in the school programme.
Key facts
- Unified state textbooks for "Spiritual and Moral Culture of Russia" for grades 5 to 7 were included in the federal list of textbooks. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov announced the listing to Interfax. [ 2 ]
- Pupils are to start studying the subject in January 2027. [ 2 ]
- Grade 5 textbooks are to reach schools by the end of 2026; grade 6 and 7 textbooks are to be supplied by 1 September 2027. [ 2 ]
- The course is built around 17 values set out in presidential decree No. 809 of 9 November 2022. [ 2 ]
- Each hero featured in the textbooks gets a separate video, linked from the relevant paragraph. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Details of teacher training for the new subject. The Interfax text available to us is cut off while describing the Education Ministry's training programmes for teachers.
- Further detail on the listing beyond Kravtsov's statement. The TASS and RBC items are available only as a headline and a one-line summary, so only Interfax gives specifics.
- According to Education Minister Kravtsov, pupils will begin the subject in January 2027, with grade 5 textbooks reaching schools by the end of 2026 and grade 6 and 7 textbooks by 1 September 2027. Reported by a single source so far