R. Minnikhanov: “The task is to ensure quality education in every part of the republic”

Tatarstan Security Council on Tuesday discussed issues related to improving the quality of comprehensive education in Tatarstan. The meeting was chaired by Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, attendees being State Counsellor Mintimer Shaimiev, State Council Chairman Farid Mukhametshin, and other officials, including municipality chiefs.

Russia’s national strategy until 2020 features education as a priority forming a valuable asset, human capital, Rustam Minnikhanov said, opening the meeting.

“Our task is to train the future generations for an independent and meaningful life. Today’s graduates will very soon begin to make decisions aimed to develop our republic. Schools and teachers play a great role in forming personality,” the governor stated, noting that Tatarstan had in recent years done a lot to modernise its education, renovate schools, build kindergartens and take measures within the national education strategy.

“This has produced certain results. Tatarstan has for a few years been the leader in Volga Federal District in terms of school teams’ results at the national Olympiad, the average unified state exam result on most subjects has been higher than in Russia, though not as much as we would like it to be,” he specified.

“Our main task is to ensure quality education in every part of our republic and our graduates’ competitive capacity,” Rustam Minnikhanov is convinced. “Our further steps on improving education system need to be based on solving urgent and long-term tasks,” he added.

Teachers and education officials needed to be highly proficient, which required local Education Ministry’s efforts as well, said the president.

Issues related to career guidance remained unresolved, Rustam Minnikhanov went on to say. “The republic takes serious measures to develop vocational training but there is lack of progress. The education and science ministry has so far failed to deliver on the task,” he claimed.

Following the meeting, Tatarstan education and science minister Engel Fattakhov told reporters the meeting had mostly dealt with management issues.

“Our education system has a lot of unresolved management issues. We offer our ways to solve them. As the ministry responsible for education quality and content, we will have to work in partnership with the municipality chiefs,” he said, adding that the main task was to improve the quality of education.