The issue of further education of Afghan students in the Russian Federation finally resolved; if necessary, they will study remotely, Russian Minister of Higher Education and Science Valery Falkov told Interfax reporters on the sidelines of the Technoprom-2021 forum in Novosibirsk on Wednesday.
“We have 1400 people. Some of them are there, some of them are here. Therefore, we are now considering this story, studying it. As for distance learning, there are no exceptions, those of them who will not be able to come, and we stated this – universities will be ready to organize distance learning, “he said.
The Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) in mid-August seized almost the entire territory of Afghanistan, including Kabul. Against the background of the change of power in the country, thousands of Afghans are striving to leave it.
Similarly, on August 20, Falkov said that 1,441 students from Afghanistan are studying in Russia, but no special support measures will be taken at the federal level in the Russian Federation in connection with the situation in their homeland. At the same time, the minister added, “universities themselves have the right, and many of them, based on a variety of factors and circumstances, are launching such support measures either for foreign students in general or for students from a specific country.”
On August 24, the Russian embassy in Kabul announced that it was considering sending students from Afghanistan to study in Russia. “In connection with the emerging false information regarding the export of Afghan students to study in Russia, we inform you that the issue is being worked out. Flights for students will be requested in September,” the embassy said on Facebook.
Meanwhile, Afghan students are turning to Russian human rights defenders in connection with fears of deportation after the end of their studies. “Afghan students who study in Russia began to apply to the online reception of the Civic Assistance Committee (recognized as a foreign agent in the Russian Federation). Further, they are afraid that they will be deported after the expiration of their student visa,” the press secretary of Civic Assistance told reporters on August 24. “Daria Manina.
She noted that, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, there are about 8-10 thousand Afghans in Russia, of whom only 256 of them have refugee status, and 514 Afghans have temporary asylum (for a year).
Moscow will arrange flights for Afghan students who have been granted permission to study in Russia
One of our Afghan students said last week that the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan could stop hundreds of Afghans from enrolling in universities in Russia or continuing with lessons that were shifted online during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Russian Embassy in Afghanistan announced that the Russian government will request flights out of Afghanistan in September for Afghan students wishing to study in Russia.
