Russia’s new preschool education standards will focus on ‘moral values’, not ‘letters and numbers’, minister says

The Russian Education Ministry is preparing to update the country’s federal education standards and preschool programme, Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov said in an interview with state news agency RIA Novosti published Sunday.

The changes are intended to strengthen ties between kindergartens and families, Kravtsov said. He stressed that kindergartens should remain a space for moral and cultural upbringing, not merely preparation for school.

“Familiarity with one’s native culture, literature, customs and moral values is more important than memorising letters and numbers in kindergarten,” the minister said. According to him, this will be the emphasis of the updated standards.

He did not specify the timeline for introducing the changes or the specific requirements for kindergartens.