Chechnya seems to reconsider reducing time spent on studying the native language

In a recent development, Ilyas Taeev, the First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Chechnya, has clarified that the number of hours allocated for studying Chechen in Chechnya's schools will remain unchanged. This statement comes in response to earlier reports suggesting a reduction in the hours dedicated to the study of Chechen.

Previously, Khozh-Baudi Daaev, the Minister of Education and Science of Chechnya, had stated that the hours allocated for studying Chechen would be cut fivefold. However, Taeev has now confirmed that the overall volume of Chechen language teaching remains at the same level.

The changes in the allocation of hours are due to adjustments in the maximum amount of hours children are allowed to be kept at school. As a result, the single hour allocated to the study of native languages in the first grade has been moved to non-mandatory extracurricular activities. Similarly, Daaev reportedly revised his statement, stating that five hours per week were previously allocated for Chechen language and literature in grades two through eight, with one hour now moving to extracurricular activities.

It is important to note that the Chechen language is primarily spoken in Chechnya, as well as in certain districts of Daghestan, Ingushetia, and in several countries abroad, including Georgia, Turkey, Syria, and Jordan. According to data published by the Russian Education Ministry in 2021, Chechen is one of the most spoken among Russia's indigenous peoples, with over two million speakers.

The controversy surrounding the changes in Chechen language study hours began when an article suggesting a significant reduction in the hours dedicated to Chechen language study was published. However, this article contradicts Taeev's statement and has been preserved on various aggregators and in cached versions. The original article, contrary to Taeev's statement, had stated that the hours allocated for studying Chechen would be reduced drastically.

The state-run media outlet Chechnya Today reported on Taeev's statement, providing clarity on the changes in the Chechen language study hours in Chechnya's schools. Meanwhile, the paragraph about the rise of authoritarianism in Georgia does not provide information directly related to the Chechen language or education system. Furthermore, the search results do not provide information about which institution in Georgia amended the education law in 2018 regarding the voluntary study of state languages within the Russian republics.

In 1994, before the start of the First Chechen War, the number of Chechen speakers was estimated to be between 750,000 and 950,000 out of a total population of some 1.3 million. In July 2018, the Russian Parliament adopted amendments to the law on education, which made the study of state languages within Russian republics voluntary.

In conclusion, Taeev's statement provides reassurance that the overall volume of Chechen language teaching remains unchanged, despite the adjustments in the allocation of hours. The controversy surrounding the changes in Chechen language study hours continues, with the original article about a fivefold reduction in Chechen language study persisting online.