Valentin Denisov: Azerbaijan conducts correct language policy

Azerbaijan conducts a very correct language policy, the head of Rossotrudnichestvo in the Republic of Azerbaijan Valentin Denisov said, speaking with the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza before awarding the participants of the republican Olympiad in Russian language and literature.

"The Azerbaijani leadership's high attention to the issue of language is the right policy. I should note that other languages ​​are also taught here, and when choosing a university, the language approach is in priority: whether it teaches Russian, English, French or Azerbaijani languages. And it is a right thing," Valentin Denisov underlined.

The preservation and prevalence of Russian language in Azerbaijan is evidenced, in particular, by the abundance of Russian-language media. "To date, there are about 50 print publications and electronic resources in Azerbaijan produced in Russian. As for television, there is not a single region without central Russian channels, as well as very popular local channels broadcasting mostly in Russian," the head of Rossotrudnichestvo in Azerbaijan said.

"There are 380 schools with a Russian education sector and 16 Russian schools in the country. Almost all 18  Azerbaijani universities teach in Russian," he added.

Valentin Denisov noted that the awarding of the winners of the Azerbaijani Olympiad in Russian language and literature is timed to coincide with the International Day of Russian Language. "It is the 9th Republican Olympiad, which took place from January 13 to May 13. Today, 150 winners were present at the awarding ceremony, and in total 2454 people participated in the Olympics within 23 regional tours - students from 7-8 classes from 51 regions and more than 550 schools," he said.

"Some people get the impression that only Baku people speak Russian, but in factб the knowledge of Russian language in the regions is at a fairly good level. I can say that the children in Lenkoran, Ganja, and Qakh are well prepared. Of course, it is a great incentive for teachers who are preparing them, the school Olympics is also a kind of competition for them," the head of Rossotrudnichestvo in Azerbaijan concluded.