Putin signs into law bill prohibiting schools to admit migrants' children who fail Russian language tests

MOSCOW. Dec 28 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a bill, which prohibits schools from admitting children of migrants who fail the Russian language test, a statement on the official website of legal information says.

According to the law, "foreign citizens are admitted to basic general education programs on condition of presenting a document, which confirms their legal presence on the territory of the Russian Federation. The admission to primary general, basic general and secondary general education programs is also conditioned on passing a gratis Russian language test at a state or municipal general education organization to confirm fluency in the Russian language sufficient for the said educational programs." The Education Ministry approves the testing procedure.

The Federal Service for the Supervision of Education and Science provides methodological support for the testing, organizes the development of testing materials, and sets the minimal score for passing the test, the law said.

"People who fail the Russian language test sufficient for the primary, basic and secondary general education will not be admitted to such educational programs," it said.

Earlier, State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said that "according to the Interior Ministry and the Education Ministry, more than 200,000 children of migrants studied in our schools among 18 million students last school year, and teachers say they often have problems with studying and communicating with peers and teachers."

The law will take effect on April 1, 2025.