Minister proposes Persian language be taught at Russian schools

Seyyed Mahdi Bathaei made the proposal in a meeting with the head of the Education and Sciences Committee of Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Nikonov. Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Mahdi Sanaei was also present in the meeting.

Bathaei said the Iranian government plans to break the monopoly of the English language as the second language taught in the country and instead promote other languages particularly the Russian language.

The Iranian minister said he had already made this proposal to the Russian minister of education and announced if Persian language is thought in Russian school, Iran, too, can have Russian language added to the curriculum of Iranian schools as per a memorandum of understanding to be signed by both countries.

He said during his visit to a Russian school he found out that unfortunately none of the students knew anything about Iran, adding that by implementing this plan Russians will have a better knowledge of Iran.

Nikonov, for his part, welcomed the Iranian minister's proposal and said at present the Persian language is taught in some higher education centers in Russia including the Institute of Asian and African Countries of the Russian State University.

The Iranian minister of education is in Moscow at the invitation of his Russian counterpart to participate in an international exhibition dubbed 'New Educational Ecosystem'.
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