Are Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar languages leaving Crimean schools? Ukrainian is the official language in Crimea

SIMFEROPOL, May 24 - RIA Novosti (Crimea). The State Council of the Republic of Crimea adopted in the first reading the bill "On the functioning of the state languages of the Republic of Crimea and other languages in the Republic of Kazakhstan." 65 deputies out of 67 present in the session hall voted for this document.

As noted by the head of the Committee on Legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Sergei Trofimov, work on this bill has a history of more than two years.

“As part of the preparation of the draft law, polar points of view were expressed on the settlement of certain legal relations. We tried to determine the generally accepted principles of international law, the provisions of federal legislation, the long-term experience of the Republic of Crimea and other constituent entities of the Russian Federation,” noted the head of the relevant committee.

According to Trofimov, in preparation for the second reading, a wide expert and public discussion of this bill is planned.

According to the bill “On the functioning of the state languages of the Republic of Crimea and other languages in the Republic of Crimea” published on the official website of the Crimean parliament, this document is aimed at ensuring the equal development of the state languages of the Republic of Kazakhstan, strengthening their consolidating role and strengthening the legal basis for use, as well as creating conditions for preservation, study and original development of other languages in Crimea.

In accordance with the draft law, the state languages of the Republic are Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar. The language of interethnic communication, according to the document, is Russian. At the same time, the Republic of Crimea guarantees all peoples of the Russian Federation living on the peninsula equal rights to the preservation and comprehensive development of their native language.

Among other things, the bill proclaims the principle of equality in linguistic relations and guarantees the free expression of every person when choosing the language of communication, training and education, and intellectual creativity.

"In the Republic of Crimea, education is guaranteed in the state language Russian Federation, as well as the choice of language of education and upbringing in the manner established by federal legislation and the legislation of the Republic of Crimea on education,” the document says.

In addition, the bill secures the right of citizens to contact government bodies, local governments, state-owned enterprises, institutions and organizations with proposals, statements and complaints about state languages x of the Republic of Crimea and receive official responses in the language of address.

The bill also provides for the design of texts, documents and signs with the names of government bodies, local governments, state-owned enterprises, institutions and organizations in the state languages of the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the same time, official documents certifying the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation, civil records, work books, as well as education documents, military IDs and other documents at the request of the person can be issued, along with the state language of the Russian Federation, in Ukrainian or Crimean Tatar.

Encyclopedic YouTube

1 / 4

✪ 10 reasons why I hate Crimea

✪ Interesting territory: Crimea (part 1)

✪ 10 reasons why I love Crimea

✪ English Jey Camp with native speakers: Sochi, Krasnaya Polyana and Crimea

Linguistic composition of the population

In the Republic of Crimea proper, according to the 2014 census, 81.68% of the region’s population, or 1,502,972 people out of 1,840,174 who indicated, named Russian as their native language native language; Crimean Tatar language - 9.32% or 171,517 people; Tatar language - 4.33% or 79,638 people; Ukrainian language - 3.52% or 64,808 people; Armenian language - 0.29% or 5376 people; Azerbaijani language - 0.12% or 2239 people; Belarusian language - 0.09% or 1,700 people; Romani language - 0.09% or 1595 people; Turkish language - 0.06% or 1192 people; Moldovan language - 0.04% or 703 people; Greek 0.02% or 434 people. According to language proficiency in the republic, according to the 2014 census, the following are distinguished: Russian language - 99.79% or 1,836,651 people out of 1,840,435 who indicated language proficiency, Ukrainian language - 22.36% or 411,445 people, English language - 6.13 % or 112,871 people, Crimean Tatar language - 4.94% or 90,869 people, Tatar language - 2.75% or 50,680 people, Uzbek language - 1.66% or 30,521 people, German language - 1.09% or 20,132 people, Turkish language - 0.45% or 8305 people, French language - 0.30% or 5529 people, Armenian language - 0.27% or 4988 people, Belarusian language - 0.25% or 4620 people, Polish language - 0.17% or 3112 people, Azerbaijani language - 0.13% or 2320 people, Tajik language - 0.10% or 1932 people, Italian language - 0.10% or 1831 people, Spanish language - 0.09% or 1726 people, Moldovan language - 0.09% or 1682 people, Greek language - 0.07% or 1315 people, Georgian language - 0.07% or 1225 people, Romani language - 0.06% or 1148 people, Arabic - 0.06% or 1092 people, Kazakh language - 0.06% or 1086 people, Bulgarian language - 0.05% or 959 people.

According to the 2014 census, among Russians in the republic, 99.82% called Russian their native language, and 0.14% said Ukrainian. Among Ukrainians, 78.59% named Russian as their native language, 21.35% said Ukrainian. Among Crimean Tatars, 74.18% named Crimean Tatar as their native language, 20.27% named Tatar, 5.46% named Russian. Among Tatars, 74.18% named Tatar as their native language, and 23.08% named Russian. Among Belarusians, 90.63% named Russian as their native language, 9.15% said Belarusian, and 0.20% said Ukrainian. Among Armenians, 55.21% named Armenian as their native language, 44.38% named Russian. Among Karaites, 93.17% named Russian as their native language, 6.02% - Karaite, 0.60% - Ukrainian. Among Krymchaks, 95.48% named Russian as their native language, 3.39% - Krymchak, 0.56% - Tatar, 0.56% - Crimean Tatar.

According to the 2014 census, among Russians in the republic, 99.89% speak Russian, 19.49% speak Ukrainian, 1.15% speak German, 0.12% speak Polish, 0.11% speak Tatar, etc. Among Ukrainians, 99.78% speak Russian, 44.57% speak Ukrainian, 1.22% speak German, 0.37% speak Polish, etc. Among the Crimean Tatars, 99.55% speak Russian, 38.86% speak Crimean Tatar, 13.63% speak Ukrainian, 13.53% speak Tatar, 2.14% speak Turkish, 0.53% speak German, etc. Among the Tatars, 99.69% speak Russian, 39.94% speak Tatar, 9.17% speak Ukrainian, 1.35% speak Turkish, 1.01% speak Crimean Tatar, 0.43% speak German, etc. Among Belarusians, 99.91% speak Russian, 18.40% speak Ukrainian, 18.26% speak Belarusian, 1.33% speak German, 0.58% speak Polish, etc. Among Armenians, 99.55% speak Russian, 46.08% speak Armenian, 15.34% speak Ukrainian, 1.95% speak Azerbaijani, 1.14% speak German, 0.52% speak Turkish, 0.47% speak Tatar. , Crimean Tatar - 0.22%, etc.

Intercensal dynamics 1989-2014

Dynamics of the linguistic composition of Crimea (with Sevastopol) in 1989, 2001 and 2014

Census 2001

Main languages Crimean peninsula according to the 2001 census

Native language	Total	Share, %	Share, %
Total	2401209	100,00%
Russian	1890960	78,75%	79,11%
Crimean Tatar	230237	9,59%	9,63%
Ukrainian	228250	9,51%	9,55%
Tatar	8880	0,37%	0,37%
Belorussian	5864	0,24%	0,25%
Armenian	5136	0,21%	0,21%
Moldavian	1460	0,06%	0,06%
Gypsy	1305	0,05%	0,05%
Greek	689	0,03%	0,03%
other	16061	0,67%	0,67%
indicated	2390319	99,55%	100,00%
not specified	10890	0,45%	0,46%

Languages of the Republic of Crimea in administrative-territorial context according to the 2001 census

Name ATD units	Russian language	Ukrainian language	Crimean- Tatar language	Belorussian language	Armenian language
Simferopol City Council	85,82	6,35	6,47	0,12	0,32
Alushta City Council	83,68	9,67	5,58	0,19	0,22
Armenian City Council	78,52	16,90	2,91	0,18	0,12
Dzhankoy city	83,14	7,60	7,13	0,18	0,11
Yevpatoria City Council	83,69	8,73	6,42	0,18	0,27
city of Kerch	91,34	5,27	0,81	0,18	0,14
Krasnoperekopsk city	79,62	16,48	2,63	0,20	0,13
Saki city	84,26	8,87	5,27	0,27	0,36
Sudak City Council	71,45	8,42	17,31	0,23	0,33
Feodosia City Council	87,32	7,35	4,23	0,31	0,29
Yalta City Council	86,79	10,12	1,12	0,20	0,28
Bakhchisarai district	69,30	8,21	20,11	0,26	0,10
Belogorsky district	60,43	7,92	28,92	0,20	0,19
Dzhankoy district	62,04	15,84	20,44	0,33	0,16
Kirovsky district	64,18	8,38	23,96	0,47	0,19
Krasnogvardeisky district	69,42	11,94	15,43	0,40	0,22
Krasnoperekopsky district	53,26	26,78	15,53	0,35	0,11
Leninsky district	79,39	10,57	14,80	0,39	0,24
Nizhnegorsky district	72,72	10,47	15,21	0,31	0,06
Pervomaisky district	58,44	19,27	19,87	0,45	0,13
Razdolnensky district	63,97	20,84	12,64	0,35	0,49
Saki district	64,48	16,91	16,48	0,54	0,28
Simferopol district	66,95	9,62	21,42	0,27	0,29
Sovetsky district	64,37	10,38	21,16	0,31	0,07
Chernomorsky district	70,94	14,81	11,93	0,27	0,25
Republic of Crimea total:	76,55	10,02	11,33	0,26	0,23

Census 1979

Census 1897

Native language	Number	Share
Tatar	194 294	35,55 %
Great Russian	180 963	33,11 %
Little Russian	64 703	11,84 %
German	31 590	5,78 %
Jewish	24 168	4,42 %
Greek	17 114	3,13 %
Armenian	8 317	1,52 %
Bulgarian	7 450	1,36 %
Polish	6 929	1,27 %
Estonian	2 176	0,40 %
Belorussian	2 058	0,38 %
Turkish	1 787	0,33 %
Czech	1 174	0,21 %
Italian	948	0,17 %
Gypsy	944	0,17 %
other	1977	0,36 %
Total	546 592	100,00 %

Story

In the past, at different periods of the history of Crimea, other languages (Greek, Italian, Armenian, Turkish-Ottoman language) also played a significant role on its territory.

Presumably, on the territory of Crimea, the most ancient of the currently known languages was Cimmerian. The Cimmerians were pushed back to the peninsula by the Scythians. However, between 280-260. BC e. and the Scythians themselves were forced to take refuge in the Crimea from the invasion of the Sarmatians. During this period, the traditional division of Crimea into coastal Greek-speaking regions and internal steppe zones, which included Tauro-Scythia and where until the middle of the 3rd century. n. e. The Scythian language was dominant. Then the Goths invaded the inner steppe Crimea, settling mainly in the foothills Crimean mountains, where the Crimean-Gothic language was preserved until the 18th century. The Greek language was preserved as the native language of the Greeks, and was also used as a second language by many inhabitants of the peninsula until the end of the 17th century. The gradual Turkization of the peninsula began after the Mongol-Tatar invasions of the 13th century. By the end of the 15th century, Turkic speaking spread to the foothills of Crimea, including the Principality of Theodoro. Only in the southern coastal regions did the predominantly Greek, Italian and Armenian languages continue to be used. By the end of the 18th century, Turkic speech had spread everywhere: even the remnants of the Christian population of the peninsula switched to the Crimean Tatar language. However, the diverse Turkic dialects of the peninsula during this period could be called the Crimean Tatar language very conditionally, since they belonged to different typological subgroups.

As part of Ukraine

As part of independent Ukraine (1995-2014), the main three languages (Russian, Ukrainian, Crimean Tatar) were used in the education system and office work, although in unequal volumes. For example, a speech in the Crimean Tatar language in the Verkhovna Rada was made for the first time only in 2012, after the adoption of the law on regional languages. In the conditions of independent Ukraine, there has been a tendency towards the gradual displacement of the Russian language from the official written sphere in the republic, with a parallel command and administrative introduction of the Ukrainian language into the education and office systems.

Language policy within Ukraine

Ukrainianization of the school education system

The issue of introducing the Ukrainian language on the peninsula in Soviet institutions, schools, press, radio, etc. was first raised almost immediately after the transfer of Crimea to the Ukrainian SSR. Delegate Sushchenko did this at the Crimean regional party conference on March 10. The greatest successes of Ukrainization of 1995-2014 were achieved precisely in the system school education Republic of Crimea. The initiator of a more intensive Ukrainization of Crimean schools was Ivan Vakarchuk. Considering the almost total Ukrainization of the education system in Kyiv, the demand for Ukrainian-language education in the AR increased, outstripping the supply. The reason for this was the desire of Crimeans to continue their studies in Kyiv or other Ukrainized or actively Ukrainized universities in Ukraine. In the 2010/11 academic year, 167,677 students studied in general educational institutions of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, of which 148,452 (88.5%) studied primarily in Russian, 13,609 (8.1%) studied in Ukrainian, and received education in Crimean Tatar. 5,399 (3.2%) people. At the peak of Ukrainization, in the 2011/12 school year, 8.1% of the republic’s schoolchildren received the entire school curriculum in Ukrainian, which approximately corresponded to the share of those who considered Ukrainian their native language (10%). By 2012/2013, this share decreased by 0.5%. . At the same time, Ukrainian-language subjects were actively introduced into formally Russian-language schools, which actually turned them into bilingual ones, with a gradually decreasing predominance of the Russian language. But the forced Ukrainization of the late 2000s also caused protests from the Russian-speaking population, as well as resistance from the republican wasti bodies. In turn, on December 13, 2008, Education Minister Ivan Vakarchuk criticized Crimean universities and Crimean Education Minister Valery Lavrov for the fact that only 5% of disciplines in Crimean universities were taught in Ukrainian. A feature of the Ukrainization of the Crimean education system was its urbanized nature: in rural areas There was not a single educational institution on the Crimean peninsula with Ukrainian as the language of instruction.

Languages of instruction at school

In the 2012/2013 academic year in secondary secondary schools Autonomous Republic of Crimea (without students of special schools (boarding schools) and special classes organized at secondary schools) 89.32% of students received education in Russian, 7.41% in Ukrainian, 3.11% in Crimean Tatar, in addition, 0.15% received education at English language. In the 2014/2015 academic year, according to the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Crimea, there was a reduction in the number of students studying in the Crimean Tatar language from 5,406 to 4,740 people, and the number of students studying in the Ukrainian language decreased especially sharply - from 12,867 to 1,990 people. There are 15 schools in the republic with the Crimean Tatar language of instruction (2,814 students). In addition, in 62 schools of the republic there are classes with the Crimean Tatar language of instruction, 1,926 students study in them. Ukrainian language is studied as a subject in 142 classes; As of the fall of 2014, there are classes with education in Ukrainian in 20 schools, but there are no schools with education only in Ukrainian.

Languages of instruction in secondary schools of the Republic of Crimea
(based on data for the 2012/2013 academic year)

Name ATD units	Total students	Russian language	Ukrainian language	Crimean- Tatar language	English language	Russian language,	Ukrainian language,	Crimean- Tatar language,	English language,
Simferopol City Council	35402	31141	3512	749	-	87,96	9,92	2,12	-
Alushta City Council	4182	3933	239	10	-	94,05	5,71	0,24	-
Armenian City Council	2347	2056	291	-	-	87,60	12,40	-	-
Dzhankoy city	4086	3796	280	10	-	92,90	6,85	0,25	-
Yevpatoria City Council	9683	8760	597	326	-	90,47	6,17	3,36	-
city of Kerch	9966	9541	425	-	-	95,74	4,26	-	-
Krasnoperekopsk city	2829	2541	288	-	-	89,82	10,18	-	-
Saki city	2708	2420	288	-	-	89,36	10,64	-	-
Sudak City Council	3174	2702	133	339	-	85,13	4,19	10,68	-
Feodosia City Council	8510	7954	445	111	-	93,47	5,23	1,30	-
Yalta City Council	10018	9594	424	-	-	95,77	4,23	-	-
Bakhchisarai district	8309	7455	227	627	-	89,72	2,73	7,55	-
Belogorsky district	6205	5008	468	729	-	80,71	7,54	11,75	-
Dzhankoy district	6909	5599	891	419	-	81,04	12,90	6,06	-
Kirovsky district	5409	4538	379	492	-	83,90	7,01	9,09	-
Krasnogvardeisky district	7903	6815	821	267	-	86,23	10,39	3,38	-
Krasnoperekopsky district	2630	2274	350	6	-	86,46	13,31	0,23	-
Leninsky district	4997	4368	601	28	-	87,41	12,03	0,56	-
Nizhnegorsky district	4792	4352	345	95	-	90,82	7,20	1,98	-
Pervomaisky district	2940	2788	71	81	-	94,83	2,41	2,76	-
Razdolnensky district	3131	2936	172	23	-	93,77	5,49	0,74	-
Saki district	6471	5970	380	121	-	92,26	5,87	1,87	-
Simferopol district	12252	10962	654	636	-	89,47	5,34	5,19	-
Sovetsky district	3362	2901	124	337	-	86,29	3,69	10,02	-
Chernomorsky district	3197	2854	343	-	-	89,27	10,73	-	-
educational establishments republican subordination	2197	1813	119	-	265	82,52	5,42	-	12,06
Republic of Crimea total:	173609	155071	12867	5406	265	89,32	7,41	3,11	0,15

Russian language in Crimea

The linguistic picture of the Crimean peninsula is characterized by the predominance of the Russian language. According to the 2001 population census, among the native languages, in addition to Russian (77.0%), Crimean Tatar (11.4%) and Ukrainian (10.1%) were also noticeably present. During the period of being part of Ukraine, there was a disproportion between nationality and language of use (native language), as well as their use in the education system and office work. During this period, there was a tendency towards the gradual displacement of the Russian language from the official written sphere in the republic, with a parallel command and administrative introduction of the Ukrainian language into the education and office systems. Although, according to a survey conducted in 2004 by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), the absolute majority uses the Russian language for communication - 97% of the total population of Crimea.

After 2006, a number of local city councils declared Russian a regional language. However, these decisions were often declarative in nature and/or encountered fierce resistance from the Kyiv authorities, who continued to pursue a policy of Ukrainization, especially in the field of education and film distribution. It is noteworthy that the Crimean Rada did not consider the application of the law on regional languages of 2012, stating that it did not add anything new to the existing provisions of the Constitution.

After Crimea joined the Russian Federation, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Crimea adopted in April 2014, 3 state languages were proclaimed in the new subject of the Russian Federation: Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar.

According to the results of the population census in the Crimean federal district in 2014, the absolute majority of the population of the peninsula called their native language

Despite the state status of the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar languages on the territory of Crimea, their functioning at the proper level, according to observers, remains in question. In this regard, Vice-Speaker of the State Council of Crimea Remzi Ilyasov proposed adopting a law guaranteeing the use of these languages on an equal basis with Russian in various fields. However, his legislative initiative was negatively perceived by government officials and individual experts. Politicians believe the bill's prospects for passage are unlikely.

At the end of February this year, Vice Speaker of the State Council Remzi Ilyasov registered the bill “On the functioning of state languages and other languages in the Republic of Crimea”. The document, in particular, provides for the teaching and study of Crimean Tatar, Russian and Ukrainian languages as the state languages of Crimea, as well as the creation of conditions for the study and teaching of other languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation living in Crimea. All three languages, according to the draft law, are taught and studied in state and municipal educational organizations located on the territory of the republic.

In addition, the bill provides for the use of the three state languages of Crimea in the work of Crimean authorities and local self-government. Citizens of the Russian Federation living in the territory of Crimea who do not speak state languages are given the right to speak at meetings, conferences, meetings in government agencies, organizations, enterprises and institutions in the language they speak.

Also on the territory of Crimea, citizens have the right to contact government and local authorities, enterprises, institutions and organizations with proposals, statements and complaints in state languages or in other languages.

“Officials of state authorities of the Republic of Crimea, local government bodies, state enterprises, institutions and organizations are required to speak the state language of the Russian Federation and one of the state languages of the Republic of Crimea to the extent necessary for the performance of their official duties,” says one of the paragraphs of the bill. “Heads of state authorities and local governments create conditions for employees to master state languages to the extent necessary to perform their official duties.”

The draft law proposed by Ilyasov also spells out liability in case of violation of Crimean language legislation.

As stated in the explanatory note, the bill, taking into account historical features, lays down “ legal basis for the use and development of state languages in Crimea, provides for the creation of the necessary conditions for the study of state languages, and also defines the basic principles of regulation and functioning of other languages in the field of state, economic and cultural life, based on two fundamental norms of international law: all ethnic groups have the right to use their native language and culture; the right of an ethnic group to preserve its national and cultural identity.”

According to the author of the bill, its adoption will resolve issues related to the legislative support for the functioning of the state languages of Crimea, and will also create additional conditions for the implementation of constitutional guarantees of the rights of citizens to use their native language, to freely choose the language of education and training, taking into account regional, national and ethnocultural characteristics republics.

“The bill does not correspond to the realities of Crimea”

The top officials of the republic have not yet directly expressed their opinion on the draft law proposed by Ilyasov. However, at a meeting with teachers of Krymsky federal university(KFU) Head of the State Council Vladimir Konstantinov, discussing the need for compulsory study of the Crimean Tatar language, stated that he was opposed to such an initiative. This is how Konstantinov responded to the proposal of KFU professor, Doctor of Philology Aider Memetov that the Crimean Tatar language, as the state language, is subject to compulsory education.

“If you force me to learn the Crimean Tatar language, I will learn it the way I learned English - I don’t remember anything since then that was taught to me. You can force someone to teach, but the result can be completely opposite. Here we need to find some completely different forms,” Konstantinov said.

Later, associate professor at KFU, member of the commission on education and science, youth affairs and sports of the Public Chamber of the Republic Victor Kharabuga stated that the bill on the functioning of state languages does not correspond to the realities of Crimea.

According to him, the document submitted by Ilyasov for consideration by the State Council “blindly copies” the legislation of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. “We need to understand the difference between the situation in these two republics and in Crimea. Both of these republics are the national statehood of the Bashkirs and Tatars. The Republic of Crimea is not like that. Crimea is a territorial autonomy, the subject of statehood of which is its entire multinational people. There are no indigenous people or ethnic groups on the peninsula that would have the right to create their own national statehood here,” Kharabuga said in a commentary for Crimea Media.

An associate professor at the Crimean Federal University believes that, in accordance with these constitutional provisions, the compulsory study of languages declared as state languages in Crimea cannot be imposed on Crimeans. “These languages, of course, must function, meet the needs of their ethnic communities and have the support of the state. But they cannot be imposed by the state on this or that person as mandatory to study,” he is convinced.

The priority in this situation, according to Kharabuga, should be the “principle of voluntariness.” “If a person wants to study a particular language or study in it, such a right should be given to him, which today is being successfully resolved even in the absence of this law on languages,” the expert believes.

L. Grach:Before you become a judge, pass exams in three languages

Politicians interviewed by the publication Crimea.Realities, they doubt that the bill proposed by Remzi Ilyasov will be supported by the State Council. At the same time, they agree that the adoption of such a document would have a positive impact on the situation in Crimea.

First Deputy Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Nariman Celal believes that the ideas contained in the bill should have been implemented even earlier. “Two points need to be highlighted here: firstly, that all schoolchildren should have studied the Crimean Tatar language, and by today we would have a whole generation, or even more than one, of young people who would know one of the languages at an elementary level Crimea – in this case, the language of the indigenous people. And the fact that every Crimean Tatar had the right and opportunity to apply to all official institutions and authorities, receive answers or perform some other actions using their native language,” Dzhelal emphasized.

In his opinion, speculation that it is difficult for someone to learn a language is absolutely inappropriate, because no one demands that children of other nationalities study the language at a deep professional level. “As a former teacher, I know that for children with their open minds there are no difficulties. They learn whatever is taught to them,” added the first deputy head of the Mejlis.

He also noted that for the development of tolerance in Crimea, learning the Crimean Tatar language would be extremely important. Regarding the prospects for the adoption of Ilyasov’s bill, Jelal responded as follows: “Taking into account the statement of the head of parliament and court political scientists, I have very serious doubts that the bill will be adopted in the form in which it is needed for Crimea and the Crimean Tatars.”

The head of the Crimean republican branch of the political party “Communists of Russia”, ex-speaker of the autonomous parliament, also does not believe in the adoption of this draft law Leonid Grach .

“Knowing the current leadership of Crimea, its anti-Tatar sentiments in terms of attitude towards all media, this is unlikely, these are people of opportunism,” said L. Grach.

At the same time, according to the communist, the adoption of such a bill in Crimea is necessary: “What Ilyasov proposes, he, as it were, deciphers the Constitution of Crimea, which spells out the state status of three languages.”

“Anyone who wants to see himself as an official should prepare to learn languages. I don't see any problems in this. This is also impossible: to proclaim the equality of three languages, and then come to court, and the judge, who does not know either Ukrainian or Crimean Tatar, will tell you that he does not have an interpreter. Before you become a judge, pass exams in three languages,” noted Leonid Grach.

He is not surprised by Konstantinov’s reaction to the initiative to compulsorily study state languages: “This is not surprising, knowing the expressions he uses, his illiteracy in Russian, not to mention the fact that he will never master either Crimean Tatar or Ukrainian.”

At the same time, in Ilyasov’s initiative, Grach saw the vice speaker’s desire to earn political points in the fight against his former comrades in the Mejlis.

Crimea. Realities

Modern geopolitical processes related to Crimea are arousing increased interest among researchers, primarily in the political and international legal components of the problem. No less relevant in this context are socio-humanitarian issues related to linguistic and educational processes on the peninsula. Crimean ethno-linguistic history, which had its tragic pages, at the present stage has once again revealed the complex facets of its problems, which cannot be considered in isolation from the history of its indigenous people.

Unlike other repressed peoples, who were organized and restored to their rights by the Soviet state in 1957–1958, the Crimean Tatars had to seek restoration of their rights until the collapse of the USSR. The process of independent return of the Crimean Tatar people and their settlement in historical homeland still ongoing (2017). Complex problems of a political, legal and socio-economic nature remain unresolved. Legislative and regulatory acts adopted by the state (USSR and its legal successors) are not fully implemented.

To determine ways to solve existing problems, a comparative historical, systematic, quantitative and qualitative analysis of the processes in the field of education that has occurred over the past decades is required, as well as a scientific understanding of the current state. Based on the above, the functioning of state languages in the education system of Crimea, their legislative support as a subject of research is of significant interest.

Shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, on November 14, 1989, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted the Declaration “On recognizing as illegal and criminal repressive acts against peoples subjected to forced resettlement and ensuring their rights.” The “State Commission on the Problems of the Crimean Tatar People” created by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR developed “Conclusions and proposals of the Commission of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the problems of the Crimean Tatar people.” The conclusions and proposals were adopted unanimously on November 28, 1989 by the Resolution of the USSR Supreme Council “On the conclusions and proposals of the Commissions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the problems of Soviet Germans and the Crimean Tatar people.” The fourth paragraph of this resolution stated: “The restoration of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people cannot be carried out without restoring the autonomy of Crimea through the formation of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Ukrainian SSR. This would correspond to the interests of both the Crimean Tatars and representatives of other nationalities currently living in Crimea.” On February 12, 1991, the Supreme Council of the Ukrainian SSR adopted the law “On the restoration of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic,” which consisted of two articles. The first article restored the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the territory of the Crimean region. The second article transformed regional authorities into republican ones. The Constitution of the Crimean ASSR approved three state languages: Crimean Tatar, Russian, Ukrainian, but soon after its abolition in 1995, in a new edition, the state status of the Crimean Tatar language was abolished.

Behind a short time by the mid-90s of the last century, more than 250,000 Crimean Tatars independently returned to the peninsula. Mass repatriation actualized the problem of restoring the education system in the native language, which was completely eliminated after the total eviction on ethnic grounds in May 1944. Resolving issues in this area was complicated by the fact that in the territory of the Crimean region, throughout the post-war decades, it was forbidden to mention the existence of the Crimean Tatar people; system of ethnic segregation (prohibition on living, working, studying one’s native language, obtaining higher education etc.).

In the most difficult situation during this period, the Crimean Tatar language found itself, which did not have an official status, was in conditions of linguocide for a long time (since 1944), was excluded from the register of languages of the peoples of the USSR, lost many of its functions and areas of application, and was actually on the verge of extinction .

Since the 90s of the last century, the process of reviving education in the Crimean Tatar language began, a network of schools with native language of instruction was formed. Dynamics of the number of classes and the number of students with languages of instruction for 2009–2013. in Crimea looked like this (Table 1).

Dynamics of changes in the number of students (classes)in daytime educational institutions studying in Ukrainian, Crimean Tatar,Russian languages for 2009–2013.

Academic years	Total students enrolled
Academic years	in Ukrainian	in Crimean Tatar language	in Russian language
2009/2010	13758 people (943 classes)	5592 people (412 classes)	156767 people (7705 classes)
2010/2011	13609 people (946 classes)	5399 people (408 classes)	150010 people (7508 classes)
2011/2012	13672 people (938 classes)	5498 people (403 classes)	156666 people (7832 classes)
2012/2013	12867 people (862 classes)	5406 people (383 classes)	155336 people (7627 classes)
2013/2014	12694 people (829 classes)	5551 people (384 classes)	158174 people (7744 classes)

At the same time, there was no increase in the number of students studying in their native language. There were clearly not enough schools with the Crimean Tatar language of instruction in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. The “Program for the formation and development of a network of educational institutions with Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar languages of instruction, schools and classes with two languages of instruction,” approved by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea No. 260 of August 27, 1997, remained unfulfilled. Taking into account the ethno-demographic structure of Crimean students, the Program envisaged the opening of 60 schools with the Ukrainian language of instruction and 40 schools with the Crimean Tatar language of instruction. At this time, 314,768 students were studying in schools in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, of which 183,218 were Russian (58.21%), Ukrainians were 73,843 (23.46%), Crimean Tatars were 43,661 (13.87%), Greeks were 669 (0. 18%), Armenians - 1644 (0.52%), Bulgarians - 268 (0.09%), Germans - 435 (0.14%), other nationalities - 11130 (3.53%). The “Regional Program for the Development of General Secondary Education in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea for 1999–2010,” which provided for increasing the number of schools with Ukrainian as the language of instruction to 18 and Crimean Tatar to 20, also remained unfulfilled.

Language policy in education modern Republic Crimea. Current state learning and teaching in native languages .

According to official data, by the beginning of the 2016–2017 school year, 463 preschools were operating in Crimea educational institutions, in which 69.9 thousand children studied. Of these, only 1 children’s institution is in the Crimean Tatar language and another 1 is in the Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian languages. In total, there are 38 groups with the Crimean Tatar language of education and upbringing (915 children) or 1.4% of the total contingent and 5 groups with the Ukrainian language of instruction and upbringing (116 children) 0.2% of the total contingent on the peninsula. Children of Crimean Tatar nationality preschool age make up more than 26% of the preschool population. Essentially, the modern system of preschool education in Crimea performs the functions of linguistic assimilation of children of Crimean Tatar and other nationalities.

According to official sources (MONM RK), by the beginning of the 2016–2017 academic year, there were 561 secondary schools in Crimea, with 187.6 students. The number of students, compared to the 2006–2007 academic year, decreased by 40.4%. Of the 561 schools, 16 are with the Crimean Tatar language of instruction and 1 is with the Ukrainian language of instruction (by the beginning of 2014 there were 7 schools and 1 model gymnasium). 177,183 students (96.9%) study in Russian, 4,835 (2.6%) in Crimean Tatar, and 894 (0.5%) in Ukrainian. Schools with the Crimean Tatar language of instruction and the only school with the Ukrainian language of instruction are not as such in general. Educational process in native languages, according to new requirements, it is organized from grades 1 to 9, and in grades 10–11 – in Russian.

In the 2015–2016 academic year, in general educational institutions with Russian as the language of instruction, 10,402 people studied the Crimean Tatar language as a subject, Ukrainian – 9,316, Modern Greek – 62, German – 50.

Official information on optional study, as part of club activities, is as follows: Crimean Tatar is studied by 11,869 students, Ukrainian - 13,661, Armenian - 122, Bulgarian - 86, Modern Greek - 73, German - 18. In the existing legislation there is no optional form of language learning, There is an extracurricular club form that takes place after the main classes. Studying in circles without assessment of knowledge with a minimum number of hours, as a rule, does not allow one to master the native language to the proper extent, much less perform curriculum by language.

Based on the annual birth rate of 4.5–5.5 thousand (5.5 thousand in 2012) Crimean Tatar children per year, on average, from 1 to 11 grades, there should be from 49.5 to 60.5 thousand students studying. If we take the minimum number of 49.5 thousand students, then it will amount to 26.3% of the total number of students in Crimean schools. This figure is quite sufficient to complete classes with the Crimean Tatar language of instruction, but in practice this does not happen.

All types of teaching and learning of the Crimean Tatar language covered 27,106 (54.8%) students; 22,394 (45.2%) people do not study their native language. This problem is most acute in South Coast, in the cities of Yalta, Feodosia, Kerch, Krasnoperekopsk.

Kurtseitov Refik Dzhaferovich, candidate of sociology
Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Social Sciences and Humanities
disciplines, Crimean Engineering and Pedagogical University

Mambetov Kemal Yagyaevich, leading specialist of the State Public Institution of the Republic of Kazakhstan
"Information, methodological, analytical center"
Simferopol, Republic of Crimea.

Source: “Economy and Society” No. 2 (45) 2018

To be continued …

It might be useful to read:

Are Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar languages ​​leaving Crimean schools? Ukrainian is the official language in Crimea