Russia introduces drone classes in public schools

Here's how a typical Monday begins in all state-run schools. Children attend a flag ceremony and sing the national anthem. Next, every grade level attends a class called Discussing What Matters. Topics and materials on history, culture, and other patriotic themes are provided by the government. This time, the children are watching an AI-generated film about a Russian general who fought in Georgia against the Persians and the British in the early 19th century. The teacher asks, are there people as courageous as this general today? Next, we head to what used to be a crafts or DIY class. Back in my school years we used to assemble something like a birdhouse or the occasional chair during DIY class, but children in Russia today are assembling something else. A drone program has been added to the curriculum this year. It's being rolled out across the country. This school already had a drone class as an after-school activity. I was very surprised it was added to the school curriculum. The teacher says it's all for civilian purposes. construction, land surveying, emergency rescue operations, logistics. These technologies are applicable in many areas. All these changes were introduced over the course of Russia's war in Ukraine. The school's management says it's a positive return to Soviet traditions in teaching. We are the ones who should be shaping children's attitudes towards current events, which is why education is beginning to change. even in their future career, factors such as salary are no longer a priority. What matters most is whether the motherland needs your profession today. These changes apply to all public schools in Russia. The only alternatives are private schools following a foreign curriculum. But these are rare, and for many families, they're unaffordable.