‘We need to build centres of children's technical creativity with a modern base, not macrame clubs’

Residents complain that there are no special clubs in the district

As activist Ilkham Shagaraev told Realnoe Vremya, before setting up the centre, an inspection of the territories was carried out — it turned out that there are practically no institutions of additional education for children in the Privolzhsky district. As an example, he cited the residential areas of Starye Gorki, Pervomaiskoe, the residential complex Clear Sky and Avalon City, Voenny Gorodok. Shagarayev stressed that if there are clubs in the district, they do not have a technical orientation.

“Personally, I managed to get acquainted with the profession of “Electrical engineering” before the 10th grade, after school I went to the electrical engineering department and became an electrical engineer. And today there is a shortage of workers. In our opinion, this deficit can be filled by opening a centre for children's technical creativity. These clubs would interest boys, they would lit up with it. If you open a UAV study group there, then the interest in it would be measured by dozens, or maybe even hundreds of children. And there are quite a lot of such clubs that are in demand among children and our industrial sector of Tatarstan," Shagaraev shares.

According to him, the idea of the children's technical creativity centre was formed after a meeting with the administration of the Vakhitovsky and Privolzhsky districts. Officials told activists that there are not enough music and art schools in the district. Shagarayev added: the residents' proposal was supported and the city authorities would be glad to see the appearance of social facilities.

“We understand that the process of creating such facilities will take more than a year or two. It will take a lot of time until the land is allocated, the plot is formed, the idea is approved, programme is determined. We are aware of this, so expecting that we will be given money right now and construction will begin is not the same as repairing a road," the source said.

They want to build the centre at the intersection of Karbyshev and Academician Parin streets

Activists propose to build a centre at the intersection of Karbyshev and Academician Parin streets. As Ilkham Shagarayev says, this plot with an area of 17 thousand square metres is in municipal ownership. Besides, there are neighbouring plots related to the recreational area, which can be used for the construction of a centre and parks.

“We had several different meetings with representatives of the authorities, the first time we voiced this idea at the annual report of deputies of the Provolzhsky and Vakhitovsky districts, and then we presented it at a round table discussion in the Kazan City Hall. We also attended a meeting with the chief architect of the city, Ilsiyar Tukhvatullina, she supported us and said that the city authorities are in favour of having the children's facility on the proposed site. She asked us to give her the “landing” of the children's facility and a preliminary appearance," the citizen recalls.

Then they went to State Duma Deputy Ilya Wolfson with their proposal and for support. He responded to the requests of residents but took the time to hold written consultations with the executive committee of the city, and so far there has been no response from him.

“Besides, we were at a meeting with State Duma deputy Tatyana Larionova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Tatarstan Ramis Muzipov was there, they helped us and guided us. But at the same time, they said that this path would be long and difficult. At the same time, they drew our attention to that a justification is needed for the construction of such object, whether it is possible to build it on the proposed site, whether there are networks and communications there. They also said that they would help us draw up an appeal addressed to Minister of Education and Science of Tatarstan Ilsur Khadiullin, we have already drawn it up and are preparing to submit it," the resident shared.

“We continue to look for associates among relevant officials at the level of the district, city, republic”

According to Ilham Shagarayev, there are four educational schools in the Privolzhsky district where children study in two shifts — even if something is launched on the basis of educational institutions, there is no space and free time. Activists see the Children's Centre as a separate building belonging to the municipality, education is free.

“The building can consist of three floors, it is impossible to build higher, and it makes no sense to be in the depth of the site, but it must be for children. We did not calculate the cost of the object, but it will probably cost hundreds of millions of rubles. The previous head of the Vakhitovsky and Privolzhsky districts, Marat Zakirov, offered us to build prefabricated facilities on this territory, but we insisted that it be capital construction. Later he left the position, and there were no more such conversations," explains Shagaraev.

Activists have already collected about 250 signatures for the construction of the facility. As a local resident says: “We continue to look for associates among relevant officials at the level of the district, city, republic.” Shagaraev adds that they have already found support from Human Rights Ombudsman of Tatarstan Saria Saburskaya and head of the Movement of the First Timur Suleymanov, now they are waiting for a response from him.

“This children's centre should have: auto club, aircraft modelling, the study of UAVs and drones, laser technology, ship modelling, robotics, IT programming. The order, what to teach and what to acquaint children with, should be formed by republican industrial enterprises. And most importantly, it is necessary to create state-funded places of engineering and technical direction for students of junior and middle grades. That is, it is necessary to build centres of children's technical creativity with a modern base, not macrame and yoga clubs. I understand that physical culture is also important, but someone should also build airplanes in Tatarstan," concluded the interlocutor of Realnoe Vremya.