The Russian Federation’s Minister of Education, Sergei Kravtsov, signaled a flexible approach to how the national flag ceremony will be held in schools across the country, as reported by RIA Novosti.
He explained that regional recommendations and a standard for organizing the event have been distributed to the regions.
“Approaches will adapt to what each educational institution can manage. It goes without saying that students should not be compelled to stand outside in freezing conditions in winter or in heavy rain in autumn. School administrations are asked to handle this matter thoughtfully. Participants in the ceremony will themselves determine the composition, such as classes from the same grade level. Obviously, it won’t always include every student,” the ministry chief stated.
Kravtsov noted that the rules for hoisting the flag and conducting the ceremony were developed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Heraldry Council of the President of the Russian Federation. He added that “everything is documented in detail,” with priority given to active school members and top students.
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On June 20, Sergei Novikov, head of the Russian Presidential Administration of Public Projects, announced that lectures on social and political topics could soon be part of Russian schools’ curriculum.
“We must strengthen our children’s capabilities, prepare them for adult life, and foster values that help them adapt and succeed,” he stated.
He linked the creation of a 32-hour lecture program to President Vladimir Putin’s 2021 approval of an updated national security strategy, which includes an emphasis on understanding the ideology and values of Russian society.
“It is not enough to claim that the value of Russian society is justice. It must be taught in a way that is clear, engaging, and memorable for children to remember, share, and live by these values.”
On June 9, Kravtsov approved the standard for holding the state flag-raising ceremony and singing the anthem.
On June 15, the Ministry of Education released a presentation outlining plans for a children’s summer health campaign in 2022. It stated that the flag ceremony in children’s camps would unfold in several stages. The notes in the presentation described the best team from a kid’s camp lining up at the fire pit in front of the flagpole, with the team leader calling the two top students to perform the ceremony while the announcer begins the flagpole moment. The anthem of the Russian Federation would be broadcast, and after the ceremony, the latest issue of the radio program would be aired.
Maria Lvova-Belova, the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child to the President of the Russian Federation, commented on bringing such a ceremony into Russian schools.
“The flag fosters a sense of solidarity among people in a country. The children’s ombudsman believes the flag-hoisting ceremony is solemn and beautiful.” She emphasized that the flag-raising tradition would become a natural and sought-after element of patriotic education, adding that her initiative had received a sincere and active response.
According to Kravtsov, 2022 saw 15,000 Russian schools provided with state symbols such as the coat of arms and the flag. “Today, the government approved a decree stating that 11,000 schools will be decorated with state symbols, and 4,000 schools will be equipped with these symbols at the regional level using their own funds,” the education minister said. He stressed that removing the flag should not be a mere formality.
Between 2022 and 2024, 33,000 schools were planned to receive state symbols using federal resources. The federal center would allocate more than 970 million rubles to regional schools for purchasing rigging, flags, and flagpoles. By 2024, the aim was to ensure that all general education institutions nationwide would be fully equipped. The initiative is part of the national project Education, under the federal project Patriotic education of citizens of Russia. Thirty-one regions were slated to receive subsidies, with the highest allocations directed to Dagestan, Nizhny Novgorod, and the Chelyabinsk region.