More than a million and a half people speak the Chechen language, but this is not enough to secure Chechen from falling out of use. According to the data of UNESCO about 90% of languages in active use could die by the end of this century, including the Chechen language. Even although under the local constitution it is considered to be one of the two official state languages and more than million and a half people speak Chechen, this language has been included in the 'UNESCO Atlas of World Languages in Danger'.
This was announced by the representative of Chechnya at the opening ceremony of a project of the European Council and European mission,
in partnership with the Russian Ministry for Regional Development. The project, which is scheduled to be implemented on the Territory of the North Caucasus Federal District by 2012, is called "National minorities of Russia: development of languages, culture, media and civil society". Chechen representatives expressed regret that the Russian Ministry for Education has abandoned the law on national educational standards, which among other things included national and regional components. This excludes teaching of Chechen history and geography as separate subjects. In addition, the number of hours for studying Chechen language and literature has been cut. "The law is contrary to the Constitution, doesn't meet the principles of federalism and imbalances equality of rights of different peoples, moreover it is contrary to the federal law on 'Languages of the Russian Federation', said participants in the program. Meanwhile, although the regional component has been excluded and studying of national languages is no longer compulsory, the idea of education in the Chechen language in the republic's elementary schools is still alive. Moreover, there are calls in Chechen society for introducing the language in judicial procedures and workflow management.
In his first address to the people of Chechnya as president, Ramzan Kadirov spoke about the necessity of elementary schooling in Chechen and offered to pass a corresponding law. In 47 schools of the republic Maths training has been introduced in Chechen, starting in the 2008-2009 school year. This issue was a matter of hot discussion in the republic's parliament. At a session of the committee for science, culture and education, Minister for Education and Culture of Chechnya Anzor Muzaev assured deputies that the work in this sphere was very intense. "To achieve good results time is needed. It is impossible to introduce teaching in Chechen all over the republic, since there is a lack of textbooks and teachers. A methodology of teaching should also be worked out - , the minister said. However, the initiative of studying one subject in Chechen has provoked a difficult reaction in Chechen society. Experts pointed out that the prospects for Chechen schools looked gloomy.
It is of interest that there are no problems with the Chechen language in non-urban areas - on the contrary, children in villages don't know the Russian language well enough. Local linguists support the idea of the 19th-century scientist P.K. Uslar, that primary education should be in the child?s native language. Only after this will a child be able to freely express their thoughts in their native language, and academic studies can be carried out in another language.
According to the Chechen ethnologist Seid-Magomed Hasiev, the situation within Chechen emigrant society, which loses its mentality, language and culture is also worrying: "We have to establish ethno-cultural centres in other regions to popularize our language, make documentary films devoted to all the periods of the Chechen history. Otherwise we are destined to be an extinct nationality". In 2005 a Day of the Chechen Language was introduced in the republic. The holiday is celebrated on April 23rd, when the first issue of the Chechen newspaper "Serlo" ("Light" was published. This prominent day was celebrated in academic institutions with the participation of members of the government and parliament, heads of ministries and cultural figures. The republican national TV and radio broadcast in the national language during this week. The national alphabet has been translated into Braille, on the initiative of the Blind Association. From now, on visually impaired children can study in their native language, in addition to Russian and German.
Timur Utsaev. Grozny. Exclusively for VK.
