Education national project: new schools, computers and volunteers’ support in Tatarstan

The focus on the top 100 universities and volunteering

In total, according to the ministry of economy of Tatarstan, 6,6 billion rubles are planned to be allocated for the implementation of the national project Education in 2019-2021. It is worth noting that 6,1 billion out of this amount is going to be spent this year. This distribution of funds is explained by that the project, among other things, includes impressive costs for 2019 WorldSkills championship.

Among the main objectives and indicators to be achieved in the framework of the national project, there is the improvement of Russia's position on the presence of universities in top 500 global ranking from 17th place in the current year to the 10th in 2024. At the same time, the proportion of children aged 5 to 18 years enrolled in additional education is expected to grow from 73% in 2019 to 80% in 2024. Besides, the authorities expect to increase the number of volunteers and activists among the students from 2,8 million people this year to 8,8 million in 2024.

Also, the national project is to ensure the construction of new schools and the renewal of the material base in the existing ones, the introduction of various forms of additional education, both for students and teachers. In addition, it is planned to introduce digital educational environment in schools.

To achieve these goals, the national project Education was divided into seven regional projects: Modern School, Success of Every Child, Digital Educational Environment, Support for Families with Children, Teacher of the Future, Social Activity and Young Professionals.

Expensive championship and modern school

One of the most expensive is the regional project Young Professionals. According to the data provided by the ministry of education and science of the Republic of Tatarstan, in 2019-2021 it is planned to allocate 4,6 billion rubles. Out of this amount, 4,5 billion rubles were directed for 2019 WorldSkills. In turn, 55,8 million rubles are to be spent on the creation of the centre for advanced training in Kazan on the basis of the pedagogical college.

The second in terms of costs is the regional project Modern School: it is planned to allocate 1,2 billion rubles in 2019-2021. Specifically, in 2019 it has been allocated 760,4 million rubles, which have been directed for the modernization of material-technical base in 17 educational organizations (70,7 million) and the creation of 97 centres in digital and humanities fields on the basis of the schools located in rural areas and small towns (155,1 million).

In addition, 534,7 million rubles have been spent to finish the construction of a Kazan school for 1,224 places on Gareeva Street and to start the construction is a school for 1,224 places on Zhiganova Street. By the way, on September 2, on the basis of the first school, or rather the multidisciplinary lyceum No. 186 Perspektiva, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov reported on the activities in the construction of the educational institutions to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

“This academic year, 317 first-graders have started to go to school. Here, 11 first classes have been opened. By the beginning of the new school year, five schools and two large outbuildings for 5,700 places have been handed over. In addition, 17 new kindergartens for 3,330 places have been put into operation. As part of the state objectives, we are going to open another 2,300 places in 10 pre-school institutions with nursery groups by the end of the year. Major repairs have been carried out in 147 educational institutions under the republican programmes. The education system of the republic is ready for the school year,” said the head of the republic.

As part of the same conversation, it became known that from 2010 to 2018, including within the framework of the state programmes, 54 schools for 22,000 places have been built in Tatarstan. The cost of the construction amounted to 17,31 billion rubles. The construction of 10 schools (5,500 places) in 2018 was financed by 4,65 billion rubles. By the end of 2019, two more schools for 1,650 places are to be put into operation in Tatarstan. Next season, eight new schools will be opened in Almetyevsk, Kazan, Pestrechinsky district, Chistopol and Yelabuga.

The cost of the construction of 209 kindergartens for 31,000 places amounted to 17,59 billion rubles from 2010 to 2018. In 2018, 1,2 billion rubles were spent on the construction of 10 preschool facilities (1,500 places). It is expected that in total more than 6,000 places in 30 new kindergartens are to be opened in 2019.

Purchasing equipment and updating school websites

The third most expensive project is Digital Educational Environment, the implementation of which will require 57 million rubles for three years.

In 2019, within the framework of this project, it is planned to implement the target model of the digital educational environment in 27 comprehensive educational institutions (13 schools and 14 institutions of vocational education), for which computer equipment, software and presentation equipment will be purchased, allowing students and teachers to access the digital educational infrastructure.

Besides, by 2022 it is planned to update all the official websites of schools, and by 2024 — at least 5,000 education workers are to take refresher courses in the field of modern e-learning technologies. Also, by 2024, all leaders of educational organizations and officials engaged in this field will have to undergo professional retraining — in terms of the implementation and operation of the target model of the digital educational environment.

Additional education and professional development of teachers

It is planned to allocate 8,8 million rubles for the project Success of Every Child in 2019-2021. The key indicator is to increase the proportion of children aged 5 to 18 enrolled in additional education to 80% by 2024.

For this purpose, the republic is going to launch at least four children's techno parks Kvantorium and at least three mobile technoparks of the same brand. In addition, the recommendations for an individual curriculum in accordance with the selected professional competencies will be developed for 45,000 children. Also, it is planned to engage 85% of students in online lessons aimed at early career guidance.

Within the framework of another regional project —Teacher of the Future, it is planned to introduce a system of certification of school leaders in three years and to take up the training of teachers. Also, according to the Tatarstan ministry of economy, today the creation of centres of continuous improvement of professional skills of educators and accreditation of centres for participation in competitive selection of subjects for 2020 is being under consideration. It is noted that the competition has not yet been announced, and federal funding is not provided.

Psychological support for parents and volunteering

The project Support for Families with Children has an equally useful effect for the residents of our republic. It involves the provision of free psychological, pedagogical, methodological and advisory services for parents of schoolchildren. At the same time, support will be provided to citizens wishing to adopt children left without care into their families.

The last project on our list is Social Activity. Its key indicator is the proportion of citizens involved in volunteering: for example, in 2024 this figure is to reach 20% (compared to 14% in 2019).

To achieve this goal, a regional resource centre for volunteering is to be launched in the republic in 2020. Also, a large-scale information campaign will be started, including the involvement of creative youth in participation in the educational programmes of Tavrida forum. In addition, every year it is planned to hold at least one grant competition aimed at supporting social and volunteer projects, as well as NGOs operating in the field of volunteerism.