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Patriarch Wants More Religious Education in Russian Schools

A one-year obligatory course on religion was first introduced to schools in 2012.

The Russian Orthodox Church has submitted a proposal to the Education Ministry that religious education should be taught for eight years in all Russian schools, news agency Interfax reported Tuesday.

The proposal, under which RE would be taught from the ages of seven to 16, is now being reviewed by Education Minister Dmitry Livanov.

"Hopefully the proposal will be supported by the Education Ministry," Patriarch Kirill, head of the Orthodox Church, was quoted as saying.

A one-year obligatory course on religion was first introduced to schools in 2012 and consists of six options, allowing fourth graders to choose between Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, secular ethics or world religions.

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