Orthodox Christians are alarmed by the state's refusal to finance non-state educational institutions

On January 1, 2005, amendments to the Federal Law "On Education" adopted by the State Duma came into force, according to which non-state educational institutions are deprived of state funding, as well as all benefits, including rent and utility bills. This causes concern for the fate of Orthodox gymnasiums, schools and lyceums in the Russian Orthodox Church and among the teachers of these educational institutions.

In December, Tserkovny Vestnik published a selection of comments on this issue by directors and teachers of Orthodox schools in Moscow and the Moscow region, as well as two detailed interviews with the rector of the Church of the Holy Martyr Tatiana at Moscow University, Archpriest Maxim Kozlov and the confessor of the St. Vladimir Orthodox Gymnasium, Priest Alexy Uminsky .

In all these speeches, there is a fear that with the cessation of state funding, Orthodox schools may be on the verge of closing, and then a significant part of Russian citizens will lose the opportunity to choose the form of education for their children.

According to Priest Alexy Uminsky, “Russia has declared the principle of universal compulsory education, which is also provided within the framework of a non-state school. so that a person gets an education in any case, therefore it creates conditions for this, that is, it supports any of the above forms of education. And each person is taken into account in the state budget from this point of view. Now the state refuses to financially subsidize private schools, including those who have passed state accreditation and thus have shown that they provide the basic level of state education, and therefore perform a state function.

At the same time, Priest Alexy paid special attention to the educational functions of the Orthodox school: “Orthodox schools, the oldest of which arose more than ten years ago, were created to protect children from atheistic education, and by definition they cannot abandon the educational task. An Orthodox school creates special conditions of the religious spiritual world. But otherwise it fulfills the state program and works for the state. A private school is not a private shop. Besides, if I know that a public school is not able to provide my child with moral, ethical, and sometimes even physical security, and I want to make these conditions different, then I pay for special conditions, and not for the fact that the child, along with the religious component, receives a quality basic education.

Archpriest Maxim believes that “we are talking about a certain “Sovietization” of our life, since the amendments made to the law are aimed at returning to an almost state monopoly on education. To withdraw funding from non-state schools today means to drastically reduce this segment of domestic education, while preserving it only applies to very rich, elite schools. As a result, a combination of "Sovietness" with state capitalism is obtained. Only the children of high state officials or the same state capitalists, whose estate is obviously and purposefully being formed now, will be able to study in elite schools. Therefore, I would not consider this law as accidental, outside the socio-legal and political field, active attempts to build which have been made in recent months.

Both interlocutors of the "Church Herald" stated that the Church should seriously attend to the question of the preservation and development of Orthodox schools. “If the state,” said Archpriest Maxim, “does not deal with this, and we, as believers, are aware of the importance of preserving Orthodox gymnasiums, lyceums, that is, religiously colored schools, then this should cease to be a matter for individual enthusiasts, parishes, parents, groups of believers. I am not very sure that it will be possible to achieve success, but at least it will be possible to show that what is being done now in the highest echelons of power is outside the legal field, both of the Russian Federation and the European community, about the intention to whose integration has been so often spoken of lately from high tribunes." According to Priest Alexy, "The Synodal Department of Religious Education and Catechesis and the Moscow Diocesan Commission on Education should appeal to the Mayor of Moscow and to relevant state bodies. In general, this, of course, is a matter for the Constitutional Court."

On January 10, Archbishop Anthony of Krasnoyarsk and Yenisei, Archbishop Anthony of Krasnoyarsk and Yenisei, also expressed concern about the entry into force of amendments to the law "On Education", and at the opening of the VI regional educational Christmas readings called on local authorities to help preserve the Orthodox gymnasiums of the region, in particular - in Yeniseisk and Lesosibirsk.

Sources

• "Exodus" of the state from education // Church Bulletin. 2004. No. 24(301). December.
• Archpriest Maxim Kozlov: State school remains intolerant of the Church // There.
• Priest Alexy Uminsky: A private school is not a private shop // There.
• Archbishop of Krasnoyarsk and Yenisei Anthony fears for the fate of Orthodox gymnasiums // Press line. 2005. January 11.