{
  "id": 328314,
  "title": "Moscow Shows Little Faith in the Potential of Russian Children",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/23/moscow-shows-little-faith-in-the-potential-of-russian-children",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-07-23T14:42:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Moscow Times - Opinion",
    "slug": "the-moscow-times-opinion",
    "url": "https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/07/23/moscow-shows-little-faith-in-the-potential-of-russian-children-a93326"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Moscow has shown little faith in the potential of its Russian children. Only 43% of schoolchildren progressed from ninth grade to tenth grade in the most recent year, a historic low for modern Russia. The government seems to have a strong push towards enrolling children in vocational colleges and acquiring useful professions early, rather than continuing their education for another two years. This approach has its roots in the former Soviet Union, where parents were terrified of their children ending up in vocational schools instead of universities, fearing their future would be lost. The state justifies this policy by claiming that educating a child for 11 years is more expensive than for 9 years, and that the country needs to save money for the war effort. Additionally, they argue that a young person who completes 11th grade might know more about books and the Earth's orbit, but still won't be able to contribute practically. This leaves them in university, possibly on a state-funded scholarship, while the country needs skilled workers to produce military equipment and pay taxes. The article also criticizes the idea that only some students should be educated, suggesting that those who fail should be sent to the front. While there may be logical arguments for this policy, the article questions whether those in power truly understand the purpose of education - to nurture good, reasonable individuals who care for their health, welfare, and the culture of the nation.",
  "summary": "From the Kremlin's perspective, every ruble spent educating a teenager who ends up unemployed — or an art historian — is a ruble not spent on the war.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}