Shaman and MAX in university olympiads, lessons marking the anniversary of the Afghan war, studying eight-year-olds as future voters, and total surveillance of students after a rise in attacks — this is what stood out this week in Russian education.
📌 Shaman and the “national messenger” as new benchmarks for future journalists
At a journalism olympiad at the Higher School of Economics, school students were asked to write a news piece about Shaman’s performance in Pyongyang as one of the “main events of the year.” At Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, entrance exams now include questions about the “national messenger” MAX, war correspondents, and media promoting Russia’s agenda abroad.
📌 Children seen as future voters
The Kremlin has acknowledged that it is studying children as young as eight as future participants in the 2030 and 2036 presidential elections. Authorities are analyzing the values of younger generations and aim for domestically produced content to help shape “national identity.”
📌 Anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan
Russian schools widely held “lessons of courage,” rallies, and concerts marking the 37th anniversary of the Soviet troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Veterans of the Afghan war, participants in the war against Ukraine, and National Guard members were invited to speak with students.
📌 Monitoring instead of dialogue
Following a new wave of school attacks, authorities intensified monitoring measures — from collecting students’ social media links to compiling lists of “suspicious traits.” In some regions, teachers are required to track students’ appearance, interest in military topics, and behavior. Psychologists warn that such total surveillance increases alienation and may heighten risks rather than reduce them.
