The Minister of Education justifies the textbook reform by, among other things, that “the West is waging an information war against Russia”. That is why schools should tell more about Russia’s perspective on the operation in Ukraine.
Russia is revising history books for middle school and high school students. The new learning materials also discuss the war in Ukraine.
Minister of Education of Russia Sergei Kravtsov says that the preparation of high school students’ textbooks will start in March. Russian news agency Tass (you switch to another service) says that the new books are scheduled to be introduced in September.
According to the Minister of Education new book describes (you switch to another service) in more detail the reasons for the special operation in Ukraine and the Russian authorities’ perspective on it.
According to Kravtsov, the treatment of the subject has already been included as part of the curriculum in high school history courses, but according to the Minister of Education, textbooks should be updated “due to the information war waged by the West against Russia”.
Member of the Russian Federation Council already in August Andrei Turchak comment (you will switch to another service)that a history textbook will be developed in Russia, which will contain “truthful information about the events in Ukraine”.
At the time, Turtšak did not specify what he means by “truthful information”.
However, he mentioned that the books should have, for example, more mentions of heroic deeds done by Russian soldiers during the Second World War.
Propaganda for 13–17 year olds
The subjects of the textbook reform are middle school and high school students.
In practice, Russia therefore intends to teach young people aged around 13–17 the Kremlin’s perspective on events in Ukraine.
In the past, it has been widely featured in the state media, because other types of treatment of the subject are practically prohibited in the country. For example, the activities of opposition media and foreign media in Russia are limited.
The leading Russian TV channels and news agencies do not use the word war, but refer to the events in Ukraine with the term “special military operation”.
Media consumption to be mapped Levadan (you switch to another service)according to only ani, few young people follow TV news. Young people get their information from numerous sources on the web.
Reception hilarious and frustrated
On the Omsk civil society forum Telegram, the book reform has been commented on fiercely.
Hilarity is caused, for example, by how desperately the state tries to reach young people.
Many wonder if the books are already out of date when they are put into use and if history is always rewritten according to what is useful to the Kremlin at that moment.
Commentators also wonder if the history books will tell about Wagner’s mercenaries and the bombing of civilians in Ukraine.
One commenter asks if teachers are able to question the information in the books.