ArmInfo.Five Russian schools will open in Tajikistan as part of an initiative to strengthen the position of the Russian language, similar programs are being prepared for Uzbekistan, and Armenia is also showing interest in the project. As reported by TASS, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, speaking at the Seventh World Congress of Russian Compatriots Living Abroad.
Lavrov drew attention to the fact that the Russian Federation is now taking active steps, which, according to the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, "strengthen the position of the Russian language, Russian culture and the Russian world as a whole."
"Five Russian schools are being created, including on the initiative of [Federation Council Speaker] Valentina Matvienko, with a full training program according to our methodology in Tajikistan. Now a similar program is being prepared for Uzbekistan. Recently, the new Armenian leadership has expressed interest in ensuring that the same program to do for Armenia, "the minister said.
The head of the diplomatic service pointed out that the Russian Federation is interested in making this approach a model program for all allies and partners of the country. "The system of branches of Russian universities in the CIS countries is also very, very well-established, also tends to expand and develop," Lavrov added, noting that the implementation of this program is somewhat delayed, but Moscow will overcome obstacles.
The construction of five schools in Tajikistan with instruction in Russian is a joint initiative of the presidents of Russia Vladimir Putin and Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon. In April 2019, an Agreement was signed between the governments of Tajikistan and Russia on the construction and material and technical equipment of educational institutions in five cities of the republic - Dushanbe, Khujand, Bokhtar, Kulyab and Tursunzade - with training in Russian. Each school will have 1,200 students.