Russian language learning renaissance in Cuba

16.02.2018, Havana.

Teaching of Russian language will begin in two Cuban schools in the near future, the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs of the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute Elena Koltakova announced on February 15 during the University 2018 International Congress of Higher Education,  which takes place in Havana, TASS reports.

Revival of interest in the Russian language is now observed in Cuba. Two schools in Havana have already agreed to start teaching Russian as a second foreign language to high school students. It is expected that they will have four hours of Russian classes per week“, the vice rector said.

Foreign representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo (a Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation – translator’s note) in Cuba will assist in supplying textbooks to the schools. As for teachers, we are ready to teach Cubans, former teachers of the Russian language, as part of upgrading training program. In addition, Cuban students who have studied at the Pushkin Institute will be able to work in schools”, Koltakova said.

She also announced that the Pushkin Institute opened a Russian Language Department at the University of Havana in May 2017.

The department’s mission is to prepare a new generation of Russian language teachers in Cuba. During the last academic year, the Pushkin Institute sent three lecturers to Cuba. They taught a course in Russian language and an upgrade program for teachers at the University of Havana“, Koltakova added.

Presently, approximately 80 students are studying Russian language at the University of Havana. In addition, 32 Cuban students came to Russia to study at the Pushkin Institute.

During the times of the Soviet Union, up to 1 million Cubans of all ages studied Russian in Cuba.

Presently, only English language is studied as a foreign language in secondary education in Cuba.

Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency

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