Over the past five academic years, there has been a significant increase in the number of children attending Russian-language schools. Despite a slight decrease in absolute numbers in the 2024/2025 academic year (down by 0.6 thousand compared to the previous year), the share of students studying in Russian increased from 9.1% to 9.4% of the total school population. These figures also include children attending preschool preparatory classes.
Annual Student Enrollment in Russian-Language Schools:
| Academic Year | Number of Students (thousands) | Share of Total Students (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/2021 | 150.1 | 9.1% |
| 2021/2022 | 156.0 | 9.3% |
| 2022/2023 | 158.4 | 9.3% |
| 2023/2024 | 158.5 | 9.3% |
| 2024/2025 | 157.9 | 9.4% |
First Grade Admissions
These numbers show that Russian-language education in Azerbaijan remains in demand. Currently, the country is conducting interviews for enrollment into the first grade of Russian-language public schools for the 2025/2026 academic year.
According to the State Agency for Preschool and General Education (MÜTDA), there is no cap on the number of interview slots. Parents can register their children for interviews until May 20. Interviews will take place between May 12 and 31. For children who pass the interview stage, school and teacher selection will occur between June 17 and September 12.
The interview process is designed to filter out children who do not speak Russian, even though their parents persistently try to place them in the Russian sector. Despite this, demand continues to grow.
Victims of Stereotypes
Education expert Kamran Asadov comments that the share of students in the Russian sector has shown steady growth over the past five years—roughly an 8,000-student increase in real numbers.
“Some Azerbaijani families increasingly prefer that their children study in the Russian-language sector. This trend is strengthening rather than weakening. Several factors drive this choice. The main reason is public perception and stereotypes suggesting that Russian-language instruction is of higher quality. There’s a belief that teachers are more professional and textbooks more effective. In some cases, this is justified—recruitment standards for Russian-language teachers are stricter, and such schools are often centrally located with better infrastructure,” said Asadov.
Under Azerbaijan’s Education Law, the system must be humane and based on national and moral values. While the official language of instruction is Azerbaijani, education in other languages—including Russian—is legally permitted. However, when equal access is not ensured, concerns about national identity and social justice arise.
Asadov also points out that the Russian sector can play a useful role in preserving multicultural values, ensuring educational rights for the small Russian-speaking minority, and offering access to academic content in foreign languages. Moreover, because Russian has vast scientific literature, especially in technical and medical fields, students in this sector benefit from access to original sources.
However, the disadvantages are more strategic and far-reaching. There are significant disparities in resources, staff, and educational quality between Azerbaijani- and Russian-language schools. This creates parallel “elite” and “mass” educational systems within the same school—two different societies, two pedagogical philosophies, and two futures. This deepens social inequality and poses a risk to national cohesion, according to Asadov.
Global practices in multilingual countries show that language policy in education requires a thoughtful, balanced approach. For example, Estonia transitioned all schools to Estonian but provides support and adaptive programs for Russian-speaking students. Kazakhstan has maintained Russian-language instruction but gradually reduced its prevalence while promoting Kazakh.
Azerbaijan, by contrast, has not properly prepared for such a transition—either socially or pedagogically. Thus, Russian-language education remains an unregulated phenomenon driven by public demand rather than a product of strategic policy.
“If the current trend continues, schools with Russian-language programs will become increasingly prestigious, while the rest will be seen as ‘mass education’ institutions,” Asadov warns.
“To change this, we must first improve the quality of Azerbaijani-language education, including better textbooks, stronger teacher training, and upgraded school facilities. At the same time, schools with Russian sectors should strengthen their Azerbaijani divisions to build a bridge between the two sectors—not a divide,” he concluded.
Given the current geopolitical context, the growing interest in Russian-language education should be viewed not only as a social or educational trend, but also as a potential vulnerability to external influence. Russia actively uses language as a soft-power tool to cultivate loyal audiences beyond its borders. If Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Education fails to adopt a systematic approach, the unchecked growth of the Russian-language sector could pose long-term risks to the country’s informational, cultural, and political sovereignty.
This doesn’t mean abandoning multilingualism—but it highlights the urgent need to reinforce the role of the state language. Improving Azerbaijani-language education, teacher preparation, textbooks, and equal access to resources must become national priorities. Only then will parents base their choices not on stereotypes or necessity, but on confidence in the quality of education—regardless of the language of instruction.
Zarina Orudzhaliyeva
Translated from Minval.az
