medvedev Has Turned His Attention to Textbooks: russia Is Shaping the “Correct” Mindset of Schoolchildren

In the rf, the line between education and state propaganda is being completely erased. Controversial government figures are now openly being brought in to create new social studies textbooks for senior schoolchildren. Indeed, the deputy chairman of the security council of the rf dmitry medvedev – known for his aggressive and scandalous statements – has become the chief editor of the course.

The ministry of education of the rf is not even trying to hide the fact that medvedev personally edited the texts, making amendments that were subsequently incorporated not only into the textbooks but also into federal educational standards. In fact, this constitutes the political leadership’s direct interference in the content of school education.

At this, medvedev himself has long been known as one of the most outspoken and toxic officials. His social media posts are constantly filled with propaganda, hate speech, threats and openly crude remarks. It sometimes goes so “over the top” that putin’s press secretary dmitry peskov has to make excuses and describe these statements as “personal opinions” rather than the kremlin’s official position.

However, this is nothing new. The rf’s educational sector has been under the control of ideologues close to the government for years. In particular, vladimir medinsky previously oversaw history and social studies textbooks, which have repeatedly come under criticism from educators for their blatant bias and distortion of facts.

These textbooks clearly reflect the imposition of the official state line: from a reinterpretation of the soviet past to the justification of the kremlin’s current policies. It is telling that putin’s name is mentioned in the textbooks times more often than historical figures such as Peter I, and significantly more often than in previous teaching materials. This is no longer education, but a cult of personality woven into the school curriculum.

Experts are saying outright: involving top politicians in the writing of textbooks is the authorities’ complete monopolization of education. Under such circumstances school ceases to be a place for the development of critical thinking and becomes an instrument of ideological indoctrination.