May 06, 2026

Teaching Russian DNA


Teaching Russian DNA
A Russian classroom.

The state news agency RIA Novosti reported that the Ministry of Education has introduced “Spiritual and Moral Culture of Russia” (SMC) into the school curriculum.

“It was developed at the president’s request and is aimed at shaping the worldview of children and teenagers based on traditional values,” the ministry press office commented. “Its essence lies in introducing schoolchildren to the lives and work of outstanding statesmen and public figures from Russian history who played a significant role in the development of our country.”

Teaching SMC will begin in the second half of the next school year, that is, in January 2027. The subject will first be introduced in fifth grade, with 17 class hours allocated to it. Starting in the 2027–2028 school year, sixth and seventh graders will study the subject, but with an increased workload of 34 hours.

Unlike, for example, “Family Studies,”  which was added to the national extracurricular program in 2024, the new subject will be part of the mandatory curriculum, just like the notorious "Important Conversations,” a patriotic program that has been held in all schools across the country since 2022 as the first lesson every Monday morning. 

It is quite difficult to understand how exactly the subject will differ from "Important Conversations,” in which children are told about Tchaikovsky, Gagarin, and “the return" of Crimea, with the ultimate goal of instilling patriotism into youngsters. The education media outlet Mel explained that SMC is a continuation of “a long-standing process of incorporating courses related to culture, ethics, and values into the school curriculum,” which began back in the late 2000s. But it is precisely now, in the context of the ongoing War on Ukraine, that all of this is being formalized as a distinct subject with standardized educational materials for the entire country and a set number of hours in the curriculum.  

The only thing that seems somewhat new and catches the eye in this story is the subject’s name itself – or rather, its short form. SMC (“ДНК” in Russian) is similar to the abbreviation that is used for DNA, and so the new reports actually read: “Schools will teach Russia’s DNA.” Thus, this creative breakthrough has a sinister undertone, implying the existence of a certain special DNA that a true Russian has or should have.

 

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