At the opening ceremony of five Russian-language schools in Tajikistan, which was attended by the Russian leader via video link, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for supporting the construction of Russian-language schools in Tajikistan.
" On behalf of the government of Tajikistan, and on my own behalf, I would like to thank the government of the Russian Federation and you personally, Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich, for your support and comprehensive assistance to the quality completion of construction work and the timely commissioning of new general education institutions," Rahmon said.
Humanitarian ties
Rahmon said building up humanitarian ties has a special place in Tajikistan-Russia relations.
"A special place in the agenda of Russia-Tajikistan relations belongs to the gradual strengthening of humanitarian ties, including in the spheres of education, science and culture," he said.
Educational quotas
The presidents agreed that the number of educational quotas for Tajik students in Russian universities will soon increase to 1,000, Rahmon said.
"We are grateful to the Russian side for annually allocating educational quotas to Tajikistan in a wide range of specialties demanded in our country. The number of these quotas now reaches 700. And we have agreed with Vladimir Vladimirovich that it will be increased to one thousand," Rahmon said, speaking at the ceremony via video link.
Tajikistan is interested in further expanding cooperation with Russia in education, Rahmon said.
Russian language development in republic
Authorities in Tajikistan are paying serious attention to the promotion of the Russian language in the republic, the president of Tajikistan said.
"Along with the state language, we pay the most serious attention to a comprehensive approach to the promotion of the Russian language," said the president of Tajikistan. According to him, there are 39 schools with the Russian language in the republic with over 27,000 students.
"As you know, the constitution of Tajikistan gives Russian the status of a language of international communication," said the president. He reminded that in 2020, within the framework of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS, it was decided to declare 2023 the year of the Russian language. "In this regard, we agreed to take additional measures to support and develop the Russian language in the Commonwealth countries, including Tajikistan," Rahmon concluded.
Schools teaching in Russian have opened in Bokhtar, Dushanbe, Kulob, Tursunzade and Khujand. The school curriculum is adapted specifically for Tajikistan, and Russian teachers will teach there. In April 2019, the governments of Tajikistan and Russia signed an agreement on the construction and material and technical support of Russian-language general education institutions in five cities of the republic. The Russian government has allocated about $150 million for their construction and equipping.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS