The State Duma explained the introduction of the Arabic language in schools

Oleg Smolin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Science and Higher Education, expressed the opinion that the inclusion of Arabic in the school curriculum from September 1 is due to the strengthening of Russia's ties with Arab countries and the need for qualified specialists in this field.

In conversation with aif.ru On Monday, June 22, Smolin recalled that the Soviet education system had a practice of learning several foreign languages, and noted that the current geopolitical situation was making its own adjustments. According to him, Arabic is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, and strengthening relations with Arab countries remains one of the directions of Russia's foreign policy. The MP added that learning Arabic can be useful for schoolchildren who in the future want to link their careers with foreign economic relations or translation activities.

At the same time, the parliamentarian drew attention to the practical difficulties of implementing the initiative. He stressed that the success of the innovation will depend on the availability of specialists capable of providing Arabic language teaching. In addition, Smolin noted that Arabic has several variants, which requires special qualifications from teachers. The deputy expressed the hope that the Ministry of Education had calculated all aspects in advance before including the new subject in the school curriculum.

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On June 19, Russian Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov announced that the program for studying Arabic in Russian schools had been approved. It will become effective on September 1, 2026, according to the Moscow City News Agency. He recalled that the Russian Federation has been hosting the Arabic Language Olympiad for three years, the website notes. kp.ru . The official noted that the school exchange program between the two countries is actively developing: Emirati schoolchildren come to Russia every year, and Russian students visit the UAE. In addition, students from the Emirates are being trained to participate in the physics Olympiads. Life.ru .

Russian folk tales, a book about Russia, and works by Russian classics have been translated into Arabic by specialists from the Chechen State Pedagogical University, Kravtsov said. These materials have already been sent to the UAE. 360.ru . The head of the Ministry of Education also thanked Mohammad Ahmad Aljaber for his assistance in the implementation of the project.

At the moment, about 4 thousand Russian schoolchildren study Arabic, IA Regnum notes.