Russian demographer suggests shortening school years to boost birth rates
(MENAFN) A leading Russian demographer has recommended shortening mandatory schooling to encourage earlier parenthood and help counter the nation’s declining fertility, according to reports.
Sergey Rybalchenko, head of the Public Chamber’s Demography Commission, stressed the need for decisive measures to halt Russia’s shrinking population.
Despite immigration and territorial expansions in 2014 and 2022, Russia’s population has fallen from 149 million in 1993 to 146 million in 2025. Projections by the federal statistics agency indicate it could drop further to 138.8 million by 2046 under current trends.
Rybalchenko explained that reducing education length would allow young people to reach adulthood and start families about two years earlier. He noted that delayed marriage and childbearing are tied to extended social maturation, with young adults typically beginning to consider having children only around age 27. This delay is linked to spending 17 years in school followed by about three years adapting socially after university.
He suggested cutting the school period from 11 to 10 years, enabling students to spend five years in higher education without compromising quality. Research shows students completing 10 grades achieve similar knowledge levels to those completing 11.
Russian MP Vitaly Milonov, known for his strong advocacy of “traditional Russian values” and opposition to “child-free” attitudes, commented that the proposal lacked development.
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