The Russian Ministry of Education plans to reduce the number of English language lessons to two hours per week for students in grades 5, 6, and 7, effective September 2026. This change, outlined in a ministry order, is aimed at optimizing the academic workload and more rationally distributing study time.
The Ministry asserts that a basic level of foreign language proficiency will still be achieved within the reduced number of hours. As an example, the Ministry notes that subjects like geography and biology are allocated only one hour per week. It emphasizes that foreign languages remain an obligatory component of the school curriculum, and the reduction in hours is intended to find an optimal balance in the academic plan, not to eliminate the subject.
Teacher Reactions to the Curriculum Changes
Business FM interviewed English teachers about this initiative. Anna, a high and middle school English teacher, shared her perspective:
“Overall, this is expected. For those who follow the news, it’s not very surprising. However, for children who prioritize English or any foreign language, this will be painful. I think two hours a week might be acceptable for a basic level, but it’s very basic – for people who don`t really need English or a foreign language extensively, just for a superficial understanding, to read something simple, or say basic phrases.”
Interviewer: “As a layperson, I might think these 40 minutes here or there don’t make a difference. But they do, it seems?”
“Of course, every lesson counts when learning a language: the more practice, the better. And if we also consider the potential absence of homework, coupled with one less hour a week, it will significantly impact the quality of learning and language proficiency.”
Interviewer: “In the institutions where you`ve taught, was it possible to influence this situation or add extra classes at the school`s discretion?”
“Naturally, there were extracurricular activities, supplementary education, and clubs. But the question is how many children can actually participate due to time constraints; not everyone has the opportunity to stay after lessons for an eighth or ninth period. There are also specialized schools with language profiles. If a class has a foreign language profile, then, of course, they’ll have not just three hours but perhaps five or as many as needed. Objectively, not every child intensely needs a foreign language; many children prioritize other subjects.”
Yulia, another English teacher from Moscow, holds a similar view. In her opinion, the desire to reduce children`s workload by eliminating homework will have the exact opposite effect:
“Those who are motivated will acquire the necessary knowledge even in two hours. But the first issue is that the textbooks used across Russia, including Moscow, are designed for three hours, meaning we might not be able to cover the entire curriculum. We will have to change all work programs. Currently, there’s talk about reducing homework for children because they spend too much time at home. This means children will have to somehow improve themselves independently, which is difficult because language is a discipline that requires significant effort; you need to study a lot. Children will have to do even more work at home than in lessons. It’s clear that chemistry, biology (i.e., the natural sciences profile), and mathematics are currently prioritized in Russia. But, on the other hand, someone who understands mathematics well is often excellent at languages, because language also involves logic. I believe that a developed, intelligent person is obliged to know a foreign language. And another problem is that in adulthood, after finishing university, when people say they want to know a language, it’s already much harder.”
Industry Perspective: Teacher Shortage as a Factor
The business community speculates that the ministry’s decision regarding foreign languages is not personal but a forced one, likely due to a shortage of teachers. Alexander Medvedev, CEO of Enjoy Camp language camp, is convinced of this:
Alexander Medvedev
CEO of Enjoy Camp language camp“In recent years, we’ve observed an exodus of teachers from schools, with many transitioning to private practice. State schools find it very difficult to recruit enough qualified teachers, so they are addressing their own challenge – aiming to reduce the burden on teachers and, in principle, the demand for them. Despite all this, an English teacher in Moscow schools is one of the highest-paid educators. At our language camp, we’ve seen high demand for our services in recent years. Parents are willing to spend money on tutors, language camps, and English courses. We should definitely expect this demand to continue to increase.”
Currently, general education schools (non-specialized) allocate three foreign language lessons per week. Next year, a new mandatory subject, “Spiritual and Moral Culture of Russia,” will be introduced into the curriculum. The Ministry of Education emphasizes on its website that this subject is “aimed at forming a worldview in children and adolescents based on traditional values” and is being introduced at the President`s directive.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth