Archive · 28 Sep 2026
Russia’s School Network Shrinks, Hitting Rural Areas Hardest
Russia has far fewer schools now than it did in 2000.
The biggest losses happened in villages and other rural areas.
The number of children fell, but not nearly as much as the number of schools.
A funding program made it harder for small schools to stay open.
Many schools were merged into larger ones or closed.
Teachers and parents say this can create crowded classrooms and make education harder to reach.
Some researchers also say village school closures can cause families to move away.
At the same time, Russian schools have changed some lessons to focus more on patriotism, traditional values, and the war in Ukraine.
Russia’s secondary-school network fell about 45% from roughly 68,800 schools in 2000 to just under 38,000 in 2026.
Rural state schools declined from more than 45,000 to around 21,000, while urban schools fell from about 22,700 to 16,300.
The number of school-age children decreased 13.5%, from 20.5 million to 17.7 million, a smaller decline than the school network.
A student-based funding and consolidation program launched in 2001 contributed to mergers and closures, especially among smaller schools.
Schools have also added lessons and textbooks emphasizing patriotism, traditional values, and Russia’s interpretation of the war in Ukraine.
- Who
- Russian schools, rural communities, teachers, parents, and school-age children are affected.
- What
- Russia has closed or merged many schools, with the number of secondary schools falling by about 45% since 2000.
- When
- The decline occurred from 2000 to 2026; major curriculum changes began in 2022 and 2023.
- Where
- Across Russia, with the largest decline in rural areas.
- Why
- Demographic decline, student-based funding rules, and a long-running school-consolidation program contributed to the closures.
Consolidation and efficiency
Access and community concerns
Why schools were closed or merged
Consolidation and efficiency
Demographic changes, student-based funding, and the 2001 optimization program made it difficult for small schools to remain financially viable.
Access and community concerns
Teachers and parents opposed some mergers, saying larger schools can be harder to manage and may produce overcrowded classrooms.
Effect on rural communities
Consolidation and efficiency
Merging schools into larger institutions is presented in the article as part of a broader consolidation of the education network.
Access and community concerns
A 2026 study linked village-school closures with depopulation, arguing that families may relocate when children cannot attend school locally.
- Secondary schools in 2000
- About 68,800
- Secondary schools in 2026
- Just under 38,000
- Rural state schools
- More than 45,000 in 2000, compared with around 21,000 in 2026
- Urban schools
- About 22,700 in 2000, compared with approximately 16,300 in 2026
- School-age population
- Declined from 20.5 million to 17.7 million, or 13.5%
- Average school enrollment
- Rose from about 300 students roughly 15 years ago to around 470
- Private schools
- Increased from 635 in 2000 to 982 in 2026, representing about 2.5% of all schools