Unified State Exam in Arabic: utopia or reality
Tatarstan reacted to the proposal to introduce the Unified State Exam in Arabic Language by 2026
“We have 75 agreements with our universities and colleges, five centres for the study of Russian and Arabic have been established, about 4,000 schoolchildren study Arabic, and interest in it and culture increases every year," said Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov about cooperation with the UAE in the field of education. The department also voiced the idea of introducing the Unified State Exam in Arabic language. About how Tatarstan reacted to such an initiative and who will support it — in the material of Realnoe Vremya.
About 4,000 schoolchildren learn Arabic in Russia
Russia is considering to introduce the Unified State Exam in Arabic language in Russia. Rosobrnadzor is ready to start developing examination materials, but this requires about 2 years of preparation and testing. At the moment, the department is waiting for changes in the Federal State Budget and the Federal Tax Service from the Ministry of Education.
Kravtsov shared plans to expand cooperation with the UAE in the field of education. He spoke about the planned exchange of students and teachers, as well as about the first forum dedicated to teaching Arabic language.
Single textbook for everyone is a big problem
The Muslim Spiritual Board of Tatarstan reported that they support this idea. They recalled that they had repeatedly raised the issue of learning Arabic in schools.
Mukhametshin recalled that discussions are currently underway on the introduction of Arabic as a second foreign language in schools. In his opinion, the initiative to introduce this language in the Unified State Exam may be an impetus for such changes.
“Another problem is textbooks, because one or another subject cannot be taught if you just like something. Related materials must be accepted by the Ministry of Education of Russia. And only then can it be used in school. The Arabic language does not have federal textbooks yet, although our teachers at the department, together with Kazan Federal University, have already prepared materials from the first to the eleventh grade. But they are approved only by the republican ministry," the rector noted.
Mukhametshin believes that this language should be taught, given Russia's close ties with the Arab world.
“Due to recent events, interest in the Arab world has increased. I think they will be happy to teach it in Tatarstan," he said.
“Material things are more important to people than national ones”
Niyaz Gafiyatullin, the director of the Kazan International School, also supports the idea of introducing Arabic in schools. According to him, last year, at the request of the students, they launched optional classes in Arabic. Now they are visited by 8-10 people. Gafiyatullin notes that it was not difficult to find specialists.
Strengthening diplomatic and business ties with the Arab world increases parents' interest in learning this language, which will help establish business ties in the future.
“But still there is a difference: to find a specialist who will teach Arabic and who will prepare for the Unified State Exam. This should be implemented in the program, children should study for a certain time, if we are talking about a standard educational process. And then, this is not a regional, but a federal initiative, that is, in our country there are regions where the study of Arabic is very popular, which is why such a proposal appeared," he summed up in a conversation with Realnoe Vremya.
Pavel Shmakov, the director of the boarding school for intellectually enthusiastic children Solntse, expressed the opposite opinion.
He is skeptical about the likelihood of introducing language learning, considering it unlikely. The director notes that in Tatarstan, “material things are more important to people than national ones”.
Shmakov stressed that the Tatar language, history and literature, and therefore the humanities as a whole, are fading into the background, giving way to more practical issues, “so that there is something in the refrigerator”.