After assessing the situation by offering health-supporting rest to students in Saint Petersburg, Mikhail Romanov, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Control Committee and a member of the United Russia faction, described the conditions as safe. He also emphasized the need to expand access to parliamentary student camps for more pupils across the country.
The results were reported to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and to Saint Petersburg authorities. The briefing followed responses to questions from a deputy sent to the Committee of Science and Higher Education of the Saint Petersburg Government.
The questions arose in connection with the directive from State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin to monitor the provision of resting places for students under parliamentary supervision. The trigger was alarming data about a drop in the number of active student camps and recreation centers affiliated with universities across Russia.
In reply, Grigory Gurov, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, stated that there is no trend indicating a decrease in the number of camps, recreation centers, tourist bases, or other infrastructures used for organized student recreation.
The document explains that alongside the existing infrastructure of educational institutions, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation in collaboration with the Ministry of Education of Russia implemented the University Shifts program for children from the DPR and LPR. Under this project, more than 40 Russian educational organizations offer an additional general education program to 11,500 children at recreation centers.
According to Grigory Gurov, about three thousand children were admitted to the bases of 30 educational establishments for three summer shifts, as noted in the deputy’s inquiry response.
The Saint Petersburg Government Committee on Science and Higher Education, represented by Andrey Maksimov, reported positive dynamics in the availability of spaces for student recreation. This year, 24 recreation centers hosted students, up from 22 the previous year, and the figure was higher than the 19 facilities available in 2020.
It was emphasized that both students and teachers should be able to rest in comfortable conditions. In the Leningrad region, many departmental camps exist, including those owned by universities. There was relief that the era had passed when organizations failed to protect their suburban bases and camps and sold them to private owners who later built mansions behind empty fences.
The parliamentarian highlighted that, according to the Ministry of Education and Science, federal budget funds allocated for recreational work with students in Russia in 2021 amounted to 965.7 million rubles. Additionally, universities received extrabudgetary funds for maintaining their bases—782 million rubles in total.
Romanov described the situation in Saint Petersburg as positive, with solid provisions for student recreation. He also believed the existing potential could be tapped more effectively to make stays at these bases even more accessible.
He urged discussions with university rectors to assess demand for space in student bases and to develop a strategy to meet the demand for such vouchers. The parliamentarian stressed the need to ensure maximum availability of student recreation across the country.