Prospects for the development of agricultural education were discussed at the National Centre RUSSIA
The All-Russian Forum of Heads of Agricultural Schools and Agricultural Classes took place at the National Centre RUSSIA on March 19. The event brought together more than 400 representatives of educational institutions, including agri-schools, farm schools, and organizations with agri-technological classes. The forum was supported by JSC Rosselkhozbank, the United Russia party, and the Russian Union of Rural Youth (RSSM).
The forum opened with a plenary discussion featuring the following participants: Alexander Dvoynykh, Chairman of the Committee of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Agrarian and Food Policy and Environmental Management; Yulia Ogloblina, Deputy Chair of the Committee on Agrarian Issues of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and leader of RSSM; Ksenia Shevyolkina, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation; Yelena Baturova, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of JSC Rosselkhozbank; and Tatyana Khudarova, President of the Association for the Promotion of Farm Schools and Agri-Schools.
The speakers highlighted the role of agri-classes in the modern education system and possible ways to develop them.
"Russia has enormous potential for increasing agricultural production both for domestic needs and for supplying domestic products to the international market. This cannot be achieved without the people working in the agro-industrial complex — training specialists remains a key task. Today, we discussed the development of agricultural education in Russia with those who instill a love for labor and working on the land in children from their school years. We openly addressed issues such as salaries, classroom equipment, and employment opportunities for students choosing agricultural careers," emphasized Alexander Dvoynykh, Chairman of the Committee of the Federation Council on Agrarian and Food Policy and Environmental Management.
As part of the event, participants exchanged best practices in agri-classes across Russia and discussed cooperation with employers in the agribusiness sector. A formal award ceremony was also held to recognize contributions to the development of agricultural schools and agricultural classes in Russia. One of the key moments of the meeting was the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Russian Union of Rural Youth and the Association for the Promotion of Farm Schools and Agri-Schools in Russia.
"The Forum of Principals of Agricultural Schools and Heads of Agricultural Classes is becoming a good tradition, bringing together people who are truly dedicated to agricultural education. The Russian Union of Rural Youth, together with JSC Rosselkhozbank, is implementing a number of projects in this field. These include the 'School Agri-Startup' competition, through which we not only support students' initiatives but also provide educational institutions with the 'Agri-Class Portfolio.' We also organize summer camps called 'Immersion in AgriTech' in the Nizhny Novgorod and Smolensk regions. In addition, we plan to hold a Forum of Directors of Agricultural Secondary Vocational Education Institutions, where we will discuss agricultural education and cooperation between schools, universities, vocational colleges, and employers. In this way, we will comprehensively address these issues and contribute to modern agricultural education—undoubtedly thanks to the support of our partners: Rosselkhozbank, the Federation Council, the State Duma, the United Russia party, and the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia," said Dmitry Pekurovsky, Chairman of the Russian Union of Rural Youth and member of the Public Chamber of Russia.
At the end of the opening day, participants took a guided tour of the exposition "Journey Across Russia" at the National Centre RUSSIA.
