Students to be introduced to ‘heroes of Russia from ancient times to the present day’
Russian schools will devote 32 hours of class time this coming school year to the state program “Conversations about important things”, according to a curriculum published by the Institute for the Study of Childhood, Family and Education at the Ministry of Education on August 26. The program includes a series of lessons focused on war, military heroism and national identity.
A key component is the December lesson “Russia – the Land of Victors,” prepared for Heroes of the Fatherland Day. Students will be introduced to “heroes of Russia from ancient times to the present day” and told that courage and military traditions are “an integral part of Russian identity and cultural code.”
On February 23, Defender of the Fatherland Day, the lesson “A Hero from the Neighboring Yard” will focus on local examples of military valor. The program specifies that children should learn that in every region of the country “there live outstanding, brave and hardworking heroes.”
For Victory Day on May 9, the curriculum includes “Songs of War,” dedicated to military music and its role in forming a “sense of belonging to the nation’s history” and preserving the memory of World War II.
Additional sessions include “Conscience in Us” and “Values That Unite Us,” where traditional values are presented as part of the nation’s resilience in wartime.
Overall, the curriculum reflects the continued emphasis on instilling wartime narratives, presenting Russia as a “country of victors,” whose collective memory and identity are closely tied to military sacrifice and tradition.
It was previously reported that Russia has doubled its funding for 2025 for Yunarmiya – a youth movement promoting military training and ideological indoctrination among teenagers, including kindergarten children – with a total of $12.3 million allocated to support military training and patriotic education.
Illustrative Photo by Dmitry Alexandrovich: https://www.pexels.com/photo/illuminated-facade-of-the-nakhimov-naval-school-in-st-petersburg-russia-12242213/
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First published in this link of The European Times.
