The Infantile Disorder of Education: How Long Will It Continue? (An Open Letter to Russian Minister of Education O.Y. Vasilieva)

Abstract

ABSTRACT This open letter is addressed to Russian Minister of Education O.Y. Vasilieva and asks the minister to change the “Federal Program for the Development of Russian Education in 2016−2020,” because it is incapable of solving the major problems facing Russian education, especially in the case of higher education. The author describes five major problems facing the Russian academic community: lack of funding, over-bureaucratization, dishonesty and plagiarism, commercialization, and the fear and uncertainty that currently permeate Russian academia. To solve these issues, more public funding is needed to alleviate the workload of professors and to encourage hardworking and talented students to respect and pursue academic excellence.