Tatarstan preparing standard requirements for school uniforms

“Average salary in the sector has increased”

At the beginning of the meeting, members of the Committee on Education, Culture, Science and Ethnic Affairs discussed the issues of socio-economic development of the republic and the budget for the next three years. The main forecast indicators were announced: GRP growth rate in 2022 at the level of 103,6%, contribution of industrial production — 35% growth, industrial production index — 103,4-104%.

“The president of Tatarstan noted in his message the tasks, including human resourcing. This issue is already causing serious concern among many companies in the republic and a security council meeting is going to be held on it in the near future," said Oleg Pelevin, the first deputy minister of economy of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The speaker also touched upon the topic of remuneration. According to him, in January-July, the average monthly salary in the republic amounted to 45,588 rubles with a growth rate of 101,7% compared to the same period last year. The real salary is 105,2%: “The growth of average monthly salary in education is 101,7%. In culture and sports, it is above the republican level. In 2022, it is planned to increase real salaries by 102,7%.”

Can theatres count on support due to restrictions?

Deputy Finance Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Oksana Kisapova spoke about budget planning for 2022 and subsequent years. Most of the funds will be directed to socio-cultural sphere, primarily to education. The expenses of the consolidated budget under this article will amount to 109,8 billion rubles, the republican treasury — 68,7 billion rubles. They are planned taking into account the new network of educational institutions, the increase in the number of students, the maintenance of cadet boarding schools, final certification, she explained.

Part of the funds will be directed to social republican targeted programmes, namely, the preservation and development of languages in Tatarstan, recreation of children and youth, overhaul of educational institutions, the formation of resource centres. Besides, the money will be allocated for:

• hot meals for primary school students — 1,441 billion rubles,
• additional payments to teachers for classroom management — 1,8 billion rubles,
• culture and cinema — 17,3 billion rubles from the consolidated budget, 10,1 billion rubles from the republican budget.

In the latter case, the money will go to grants, acquisition of book funds, support of creative unions, maintenance of museums, theatres, circuses, libraries, creative collectives. Nevertheless, some members of the committee believe that insufficient funds are allocated for certain cultural sectors.

“If you don't mind, I would advise you to study the experience of our neighbour Bashkortostan, which has been engaged in serious financing of cinematography for decades, and they have it, as you know, in general, one and a half or two steps ahead," said Deputy Ramil Tukhvatullin.

The artistic director of the Kachalov Theatre, deputy Alexander Slavutsky, asked if theaters could count on any support in connection with coronavirus restrictions.

“The budget is formed on the basis of the adopted normative legal acts," Kisapova replied. “At the moment we do not have such documents at our disposal.”

The chairman of the committee, Ayrat Zaripov, suggested analysing the situation and, if necessary, taking into account the issue when implementing the budget.

Next year, 1,7 billion rubles have been allocated to the regional budget for mass media, 685 million of them — for periodical press, 25 billion rubles will be allocated for national projects. Main directions: human capital, comfortable living environment, economic growth.

In general, in 2022, the republic's budget revenues are projected to amount to 294,8 billion rubles, expenditures — 305,7 billion rubles, and deficit — 10,9 billion rubles (fully account for the republican budget, municipal budgets are balanced).

For 2023 and 2024, the bill assumes the following:

1. projected total revenue of the budget of the Republic of Tatarstan for 2023 in the amount of 295,843,175.6 thousand rubles and for 2024 — in the amount of 300,198,439.4 thousand rubles;
2. total expenditures of the budget of the Republic of Tatarstan for 2023 in the amount of 308,536,413.5 thousand rubles, including conditionally approved expenses in the amount of 7,950,000.0 thousand rubles, and for 2024 — in the amount of 314,157,497.4 thousand rubles, including conditionally approved expenses in the amount of 16,710,000.0 thousand rubles;
3. budget deficit of the Republic of Tatarstan for 2023 in the amount of 12,693,237.9 thousand rubles and for 2024 — in the amount of 13,959,058.0 thousand rubles.

Ministry of Education and Science of Tatarstan will approve the requirements for school uniforms

Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Tatarstan Alsu Asadullina spoke about the amendments to the Article 9 of the republican law on education. Now the standard requirements for the clothing of schoolchildren are approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Tatarstan. The bill proposes to delegate the authority to approve the standard requirements to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tatarstan. And each school will have the opportunity to establish its own local acts, in which individual moments will be prescribed, such as the print of the uniform.

“The ministry should develop standard requirements, which will specify recommendations for formal, sports and casual clothing for boys and girls, taking into account the rules of the Sanitary Regulations and Standards. But we will not specify the colour of the check," Asadullina explained.

The deputy head of the Ministry of Education and Science also noted that when preparing school uniform standards, it is important to take into account that it is affordable and does not represent burdensome expenses for large families. Besides, one of the main purposes of school uniforms is to erase social differences between children, the speaker is convinced. Then schoolchildren from less well-to-do families will not be embarrassed due to that they do not have such expensive clothes as some of their schoolmates.