Deputies have prepared a bill aimed at introducing tuition fees for migrant children in Russian schools. The text of the document has been published on the official portal of the State Duma.
The initiative proposes amendments to the current law "On Education," which previously guaranteed equal rights for Russians and foreigners to receive education. It also suggests setting a limit of no more than three free attempts to pass the Russian language exam.
The justification for the bill states that "the growing number of migrants in schools is creating a shortage of educational spaces." Additionally, the weak command of Russian among some students is hindering the educational process for children who are Russian citizens.
Among the authors of the bill are Sergey Mironov, head of the "A Just Russia — For Truth" faction, Communist deputy Nina Ostanina, and former LDPR parliamentarian Yaroslav Nilov.
Nilov announced his intention to submit such a document back on August 1 in his Telegram channel: "The education of foreign citizens' children should be fee-based, without exceptions for age or grade."
Alexander Reut, a representative of the Ministry of Education who heads the department of general education policy, stated that Nilov's proposal violates the provisions of the Russian Constitution.
It is worth recalling that starting April 2025, all foreign students will be required to undergo Russian language testing upon admission to Russian schools.