Russian schools to teach History of Great Patriotic War

The optional course in the History of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 will be on the curricula of Russian schools. The decision was made at the 9th session of the Russian Victory Organisational Committee held on Wednesday by Russian Vice-Premier Valentina Matviyenko.

While addressing the session, first deputy education minister Viktor Bolotov laid a particular stress on "the huge educational potential of documents on the history of the Great Patriotic War." He said that there were stricter requirements for school textbooks on history now.

"The ambition to discover the truth should not overshadow the grandiose exploit of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War," the Russian Education Ministry says. "Historians, the authors of textbooks, should be committed to commemorating the exploits and sacrifices for the life and prosperity of next generations."