A restructuring of curricula is underway in Russia as a new focus titled The Foundation of Homeland Security and Defense is slated to enter school programs across the country. Starting from the upcoming academic year, this topic will be integrated into the official school curriculum, signaling a shift toward a more explicit education on national security and public safety. A dedicated working group is being formed to guide the development of this program. The team will bring together specialists from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Emergency Situations to ensure that content is accurate, relevant, and aligned with broader state education goals.
In tandem with the program’s rollout, plans are in place to produce a new textbook that will support teachers and students in engaging with the material in a structured and substantive way. The Ministry seeks to provide fresh instructional materials that reflect current strategic priorities and that complement existing safety and civic education efforts within schools.
In parallel, there have been discussions about introducing practical, socially meaningful coursework for students. A proposal has been put forward to offer classes that connect classroom learning with real-world responsibilities and community service. The aim is to bridge theoretical knowledge with concrete actions that demonstrate the value of helping others and contributing to the common good.
Attention is being given to how the subject matter is framed during school hours. Since recent years, extracurricular conversations on key civic and safety topics have been held to foster moral development and awareness among students. The idea is to reinforce classroom instruction with practical experiences that illustrate the impact of moral choices and the importance of community-minded conduct. Educators emphasize that the best learning happens when students apply what they learn to everyday situations and support peers in meaningful ways.
Administrators have also signaled openness to reevaluating how Life Safety lessons are delivered. There is consideration of renaming this area of study to emphasize Fundamentals of Homeland Security and Defense, with the goal of providing a clearer linkage between safety knowledge and national defense concepts. This potential renaming would reflect a broader spectrum of topics, from personal safety practices to understanding the mechanisms that underpin national resilience and crisis response.