Russia wants to teach 7-year-olds how to be patriotic

The Kremlin has taken another step in its efforts to control the thinking of people in Russia as the Education Ministry says it wants to teach children as young as 7-year-olds how to be patriotic.

According to a report by the Moscow Times Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov said: “Historical education will begin in schools from the first grade.”

Kravtsov was speaking at the opening of an exhibition called “Everyday Nazism” which is due to be shown at a nationwide schools forum entitled “The Power is in the Truth.”

“[In our teaching of history], we will never allow it [to be written] that we somehow treated other nations, our fraternal nations of Ukraine and Belarus, poorly. We will do everything in our power so that historical memory is preserved.”

The minister’s plans will see the age of those taking compulsory history lessons reduce by three years, as it will see historical education incorporated into existing parts of the school curriculum.

Kravtsov also announced that from September 1^st, schools will start each week by singing the Russian national anthem and raising the Russian flag. 

Forum participants were also treated to a speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who stressed the importance of children knowing their country’s history.

He said: “A deep understanding of our history, and a respectful, thoughtful attitude to the great patriotic, spiritual and cultural heritage of the Fatherland enables us to draw correct conclusions from the past. 

“The Power is in the Truth,” is the first forum of its kind in Russia and will take place on May 9, the day Russia celebrates the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s surrender to Soviet troops in 1945. 

The move by the education ministry in Russia is another in the Kremlin’s efforts to control the war narrative, this time saying it wants to teach 7-year-olds how to be patriotic.

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