Head of the Kazan Education Department: «Teachers need care, not new regulations»

Irek Rizvanov informed about the challenges of on-boarding new teachers, retaining staff, and the importance of staying open-minded

More than 250,000 young people in Kazan determine the future. In a few years, these young people will become key figures in society. The quality of their education depends on the teachers, and there are 17,200 qualified teachers in all educational institutions in the city. Irek Rizvanov, the Head of the Education Department, spoke about the education system of Kazan.

What do you think is the most important in the modern education system?

The answer is simple: people are the most important thing. If we are talking about education, it must be adaptable and flexible today in order to meet the demands of the job market and technological changes. The primary goal of a teacher is to help children to study and work. A modern person must continue to develop throughout their life. Already today, people change jobs 3-4 times during their lifetime, and experts say that in the near future, it will be more than seven times.

Do new schools and kindergartens meet current trends?

Kazan education provides a wide range of opportunities: from traditional schools to innovative lyceums, and from kindergartens using various methods to numerous clubs and extracurricular activities. I would like to reiterate that the essence of a good educational institution is not just its modern infrastructure, but also its qualified teachers and quality of education they provide.

Over the past five years, over 1,300 teachers have relocated to our city. How do we manage to attract talented professionals from different regions?

I think this is due to two factors that make our city special. Firstly, Kazan has all the conditions for a comfortable life. This has made it a magnet for people from other cities. Secondly, visiting specialists are supported by both republican grants and local projects. I really enjoyed an experience at one of our new schools, School administration helps new teachers with housing, arranging for their children to attend school or daycare. In my opinion, this is a professional approach. When someone sees this, they say «Yes, I would like to live and work here».

Tell us more about the Pedagogical Classes project and the results of its implementation.

Those who truly wish to become teachers should enroll in pedagogical colleges or universities. We believe that the love for this special profession should begin from school. Fifty-six teaching classes have been opened at 28 schools in Kazan, with 1,248 students enrolled. During the school year, children learn the basics of pedagogy and psychology in addition to their regular classes. The first graduates of these classes have shown decent results, with 26% of them enrolling in pedagogical universities. This is a significant achievement, indicating an increase in the number of motivated and well-trained future teachers.