Serious changes are coming to the education system in Buryatia. The republic's Minister of Education Valery Pozdnyakov and senator Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn decided to propose to the Russian Ministry of Education a new model for building educational institutions that would unite schools and kindergartens “under one roof.” This idea is presented as a measure to optimize resources, especially relevant for regions with low population density.

At the meeting, Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn noted that the construction of individual schools and kindergartens in small towns is too costly and ineffective for subsequent operation.

One cannot help but notice the symbolic side of the proposal. In Russian culture, “roof” has long been a metaphor for power, patronage, and sometimes all-consuming control. Here, the word takes on a special meaning: under one roof, not only educational institutions are united, but also the fates of children who, from an early age, find themselves in a closed space, deprived of diversity and opportunities for development.

The implementation of the idea of ​​combining schools and kindergartens under one roof is taking place against the backdrop of the degradation of educational infrastructure in Buryatia. Closing schools in villages such as Oymur and Stary Onohoy are threatening the future of hundreds of children. Whereas they previously had the opportunity to receive an education in their village, they are now forced to travel significant distances or be left without a quality education at all.

Residents of the village of Oymur are forced to protest because the nearest school is 18 kilometers away, making education for their children virtually inaccessible. School principal Evgeniy Kiberev emphasizes that the court's decision to close the school has caused a wave of discontent among parents, teachers and the village community. Transporting 200 people daily over such a distance is no easy task.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that local authorities are in no hurry to fulfill their promises to build new schools. The program for the integrated development of rural areas, initiated by Vladimir Putin (*international criminal)is not being implemented locally. Instead, officials propose solutions that can only work in the long term.

In addition, from September 2024, Rosobrnadzor will use the general education quality index to assess the performance of educational institutions. The document includes 69 indicators, most of which assess the knowledge of schoolchildren, and some – the educational environment and human resources. For the first time, the assessment includes the qualifications of teachers. At first glance, this should improve the quality of education, but in practice, this initiative may become another a bureaucratic instrument of pressure on teachers.

The measures taken, as experts note, are aimed more at control than at improving the situation in schools. The teacher's work should be assessed by another professional who is able to understand the complexities and nuances of the educational process. However, under the new conditions, teachers will be assessed according to formal criteria, which can lead to demotivation and the departure of qualified personnel from the education system.

This is especially dangerous for Buryatia, where there has long been a shortage of teachers. Any innovations that add stress and increase the workload for teachers could lead to an even greater outflow of personnel. And without qualified teachers, schools and kindergartens, even those united under one roof, will not be able to provide children with a decent education.

It can already be said that educational initiatives require a much deeper and more thoughtful approach than that demonstrated today.