“ “Education policy and Equal Education opportunities’ Education policy and Equal Education opportunities’

Reforms in Secondary Education and their effect on Reforms in Secondary Education and their effect on ‘children in risk’ in North Caucasus. ‘children in risk’ in North Caucasus.

Dr. Dr. Irina Molodikova Irina Molodikova Central European UniversityCentral European University

March 18 - 21, 2010March 18 - 21, 2010TiranaTirana

The Geographic location of North The Geographic location of North Caucasus republics (NCR) Caucasus republics (NCR)

NCR region is the place, where NCR region is the place, where every child can be in potential riskevery child can be in potential risk

N. Ossetia Beslan school 1-11 September 2004: N. Ossetia Beslan school 1-11 September 2004: from 1100 hostages were killed 334 (mainly from 1100 hostages were killed 334 (mainly

children).children).

Socio-economic context of education Socio-economic context of education development:development:

Multiethnic of region (70 ethnic groups);Multiethnic of region (70 ethnic groups);

History of tensions and territorial disputes;History of tensions and territorial disputes;

Lowest education indicators and socio-economic Lowest education indicators and socio-economic characteristics in Russia;characteristics in Russia;

Highest Natural increase in Russia;Highest Natural increase in Russia;

Highest level of children and unemployment;Highest level of children and unemployment;

Inflow of refugees and Internally displaced people;Inflow of refugees and Internally displaced people;

3 groups of republics according to situation:3 groups of republics according to situation:

1. N.Ossetia (Pr.r.), Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia;1. N.Ossetia (Pr.r.), Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia;

2. Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachaevo-Cherkessia;2. Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachaevo-Cherkessia;

3. Adyghea3. Adyghea

Problem in Education in the context of ethnic relation in Problem in Education in the context of ethnic relation in regionregion

1.1. Nation building led to rise of nationalism and experiments in Nation building led to rise of nationalism and experiments in school education (experiments with language and curricular);school education (experiments with language and curricular);

2.2. Incomparable goals of local elite with Federal Center in Incomparable goals of local elite with Federal Center in competition for control led to military conflicts;competition for control led to military conflicts;

3.3. Military conflicts and many children were not able to attend Military conflicts and many children were not able to attend schools for long time;schools for long time;

4.4. Different demographic patterns and processes (especially Different demographic patterns and processes (especially forced migration) changed the ethnic composition and sex forced migration) changed the ethnic composition and sex composition in republics;composition in republics;

5.5. Press out some ethnic groups from one region to another Press out some ethnic groups from one region to another created conflict situations;created conflict situations;

6.6. Mass exodus of Russian speaking population created gaps in Mass exodus of Russian speaking population created gaps in school education processschool education process

In 90s during different ethnic conflicts about 500 000 In 90s during different ethnic conflicts about 500 000 people were forcedly removed in, within and out of N. people were forcedly removed in, within and out of N.

Caucasus republicsCaucasus republics

Methodology:Methodology:

Assessment of problems with children andAssessment of problems with children and

the main groups in risk children;the main groups in risk children;

About 140 teachers and 40 experts wereAbout 140 teachers and 40 experts were

questioned in focus groups and in-depth questioned in focus groups and in-depth

interviews in North Caucasus republics in 2007 interviews in North Caucasus republics in 2007 regarding equal access to schooling;regarding equal access to schooling;

Monitoring of project and in depth interview Monitoring of project and in depth interview with teachers;with teachers;

Children essays – 350;Children essays – 350;

Survey of 350 graduated children;Survey of 350 graduated children;

Main problems: Main problems: As in other post – Soviet transition regions:As in other post – Soviet transition regions: lack of lack of

equipped facilities, lack of qualified teachers, equipped facilities, lack of qualified teachers, deterioration of school infrastructure;deterioration of school infrastructure;

Specific problems:Specific problems:

post conflict trauma;post conflict trauma;

deterioration of quality of Russian – language deterioration of quality of Russian – language instructions and teachers qualification;instructions and teachers qualification;

lack of pre-school education; lack of pre-school education;

widespread corruption in schools;widespread corruption in schools;

Influence of right wing religious education ;Influence of right wing religious education ;

gender issue in education;gender issue in education;

Main groups of children at risk (according to teachers opinion) :Main groups of children at risk (according to teachers opinion) :

Problem families – from 15% in all (max. 40% Dagestan);Problem families – from 15% in all (max. 40% Dagestan);

Low income families – from 15% in all (max. 50% Kab.-Balkar.);Low income families – from 15% in all (max. 50% Kab.-Balkar.);

Bad knowledge of Russian – 5 republics (max. 50% Kab.-Bad knowledge of Russian – 5 republics (max. 50% Kab.-Balkar.);Balkar.);

Disable or with health problems – from 5 % in all (max. 20% N. Disable or with health problems – from 5 % in all (max. 20% N. Ossetia);Ossetia);

Orphans and adopted - 5 republics (max. 20% N. Ossetia);Orphans and adopted - 5 republics (max. 20% N. Ossetia);

Families with many kids – 3 republics (max. 20% Ingush.)Families with many kids – 3 republics (max. 20% Ingush.)

Internally displaced & refugees- 2 republics (max. 30% Ingus.)Internally displaced & refugees- 2 republics (max. 30% Ingus.)

Dropped out - only Chechnya 5-10%;Dropped out - only Chechnya 5-10%;

Homeless – only Kabardino-Balkaria -15%Homeless – only Kabardino-Balkaria -15%

Deviant children – only in N. Ossetia and IngushetiaDeviant children – only in N. Ossetia and Ingushetia

Impact of conflicts on educationImpact of conflicts on educationSchools destroyed;Schools destroyed;

Children dropped out from education because of wars Children dropped out from education because of wars (about 100 000 children): (about 100 000 children):

In some villages Children to reach school from one In some villages Children to reach school from one part of village to another (to Ingush school) use part of village to another (to Ingush school) use special transport because of security reasons; special transport because of security reasons;

19 455 kids need rehabilitation – post war syndrome;19 455 kids need rehabilitation – post war syndrome;

Problems of I and II wars between Georgia -S. Ossetia Problems of I and II wars between Georgia -S. Ossetia (in N. Ossetia, in refugees families from Georgian (in N. Ossetia, in refugees families from Georgian regions children can’t speak neither Ossetian or regions children can’t speak neither Ossetian or Russian);Russian);

Main reforms in Russian education:Main reforms in Russian education:

(1) Introduction and development of private secondary (1) Introduction and development of private secondary and high education and commercialization of the all and high education and commercialization of the all education system;education system;(2). Development of an ethnic component in the (2). Development of an ethnic component in the school education of the republics;school education of the republics;(3) Introduction of a Unified State Exam (USE) system (3) Introduction of a Unified State Exam (USE) system from 2009 (from 2009 (edinii gosudarstvenii ekzamen - EGEedinii gosudarstvenii ekzamen - EGE););(4). Renaissance of religion (from 1997 Law ‘On (4). Renaissance of religion (from 1997 Law ‘On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations’ Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations’ and 2009 - Introduction of religious education in and 2009 - Introduction of religious education in schools curricula –Orthodoxy, Buddhism, Judaism, or schools curricula –Orthodoxy, Buddhism, Judaism, or Islam); Islam);

Commercialization of educationCommercialization of education

Reduced the number of free education Reduced the number of free education increased the competition for these placesincreased the competition for these places

Increased number of fee-paying students Increased number of fee-paying students (the choice dictated by money);(the choice dictated by money);

Increase of informal payments in schools;Increase of informal payments in schools;

Stratification of society on income and on Stratification of society on income and on ethnicity influence school environment ethnicity influence school environment (example of N.& S. Ossetia); (example of N.& S. Ossetia);

Ethnic component & Language issueEthnic component & Language issue

Traditional absence of pre-school education ( at Traditional absence of pre-school education ( at home they speak only in ethnic language);home they speak only in ethnic language);

Russian teachers run away from ethnic regions and Russian teachers run away from ethnic regions and local teachers do not speak well Russian;local teachers do not speak well Russian;

Regional education from local budget decline Regional education from local budget decline (Chechen case);(Chechen case);

National language education – what are the limits? National language education – what are the limits?

Unified State exam –test on Russian language?Unified State exam –test on Russian language?

Unified State Exam (USE)–new opportunity Unified State Exam (USE)–new opportunity or widespread corruption?or widespread corruption?

USE-idea of equal opportunities for all children;USE-idea of equal opportunities for all children;

Positive discrimination:Positive discrimination:- Disable children;Disable children;- Orphans;Orphans;- Winner of Olympiads;Winner of Olympiads;

Corruption again:Corruption again:

Dagestan has highest % of score, Moscow and Dagestan has highest % of score, Moscow and St. Petersburg are among the worst;St. Petersburg are among the worst;

Price for USE: from 1300 (N. Caucasus) to 4000 Price for USE: from 1300 (N. Caucasus) to 4000 EURO (Moscow);EURO (Moscow);

Religious education: reduced girls access to Religious education: reduced girls access to educationeducation

Involvement of Islam in civil education;Involvement of Islam in civil education;

Rise in number of religious schools without Rise in number of religious schools without gradual development of mullah education;gradual development of mullah education;

Rise of fundamentalism and recruitment of Rise of fundamentalism and recruitment of youth ( dropped out from civil education);youth ( dropped out from civil education);

Rise of influences of Islam values in civil life Rise of influences of Islam values in civil life and everyday customs;and everyday customs;

Unofficial revival of Sheria law;Unofficial revival of Sheria law;

Replacement of civil activities (sport, dances Replacement of civil activities (sport, dances and so on) by religious education;and so on) by religious education;

Muslim Customs & Gender problemsMuslim Customs & Gender problemsTurn from “emancipation” of women to private life Turn from “emancipation” of women to private life (hijab, dresses, home keeping) ;(hijab, dresses, home keeping) ;

Widespread girls forced marriages: Widespread girls forced marriages:

““in rural areas only one or two girls now graduate in rural areas only one or two girls now graduate school…they help at home or get married ”; school…they help at home or get married ”; “(teacher)“(teacher)

Interruption of education by the abduction of girls for Interruption of education by the abduction of girls for marriages; marriages;

Development of polygamy (demographic solution of Development of polygamy (demographic solution of sex disproportion because of wars);sex disproportion because of wars);

Problems with sport activities of girls Problems with sport activities of girls “from the age of “from the age of puberty girls do not attend physical education class”;puberty girls do not attend physical education class”;

Conclusion:Conclusion:Sources of Children in risk in NCR – ethnic Conflict and Center Sources of Children in risk in NCR – ethnic Conflict and Center – regional governments conflicts that influence education – regional governments conflicts that influence education process;process;The low socio-economic development of NCR gives less The low socio-economic development of NCR gives less chances to children at Risk;chances to children at Risk;Education reforms in NCR do not work because of corruption;Education reforms in NCR do not work because of corruption;Widespread corruption in education leads to youth frustration Widespread corruption in education leads to youth frustration and their turn to radical Islam;and their turn to radical Islam;Children dropped out of education have no opportunity to be Children dropped out of education have no opportunity to be involved in normal life and the only possibility for them to go to involved in normal life and the only possibility for them to go to militants or other informal activities;militants or other informal activities;Development of religious education reduced girls opportunity to Development of religious education reduced girls opportunity to have access to quality education;have access to quality education;

Thank you!Thank you!