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Nearly Half of Russian Math Teachers Flunk State Math Test

Sergei Kiselyov / Moskva News Agency

Almost half of Russia’s math teachers have reportedly flunked a nationwide exam designed to evaluate their professional aptitude.

Some 22,000 teachers took part in the voluntary anonymous exam across Russia administered by the Rosobrnadzor state education watchdog this year. President Vladimir Putin’s economic program has vowed to make Russia one of the world’s 10 leading countries in quality of education by the time his fourth presidential term ends in 2024.

“Almost half the study participants failed in subject areas including mathematics and computer science, and the foundations of the spiritual and moral culture of the peoples of Russia,” Rosobrnadzor said in an online statement Monday.

Almost a quarter failed history, economy, Russian language and literature aptitude tests, it said.

Language and literature teachers stood out with the best results, the head of the service, Sergei Kravtsov, was cited as saying.

Teachers' qualifications in every school subject are scheduled to be tested by 2020, Kravtsov said.

“An objective assessment is better than one that’s high and divorced from reality,” Kravtsov added.

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