Paid education under Stalin has been proven. Paid education in the USSR

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It turns out that they first introduced tuition fees, and then began to waive fees for certain specialties. By the way, it is possible that in 1941 this process continued.
The situation with music schools is clear - in principle, not everyone is able to enter there (that is, certain abilities are needed).
Perhaps, in view of the impending war, they tried to encourage enrollment in military schools in this way.

Yes, and the process continued, I quickly wrote down the names that I found in the plus consultant. Perhaps I missed something.

Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of January 11, 1941 N 70 "On maintaining free education and the previous procedure for awarding scholarships to students of the Moscow Aerial Photography School."

Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated June 12, 1941 N 1539 "On the preservation of demons paid training and the previous procedure for awarding scholarships to students pedagogical schools located in the regions of the Far North."

Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated July 2, 1941 N 1803 "On exemption from tuition fees for children of privates and juniors commanding staff Red Army and Navy"(SP USSR, 1941, No. 16, Art. 311).

Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of October 15, 1942 N 1695 "On the exemption of Kyrgyz students in the Kyrgyz SSR from tuition fees in grades 8 - 10 of secondary schools, in secondary special and higher educational institutions and providing scholarships for students."

Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated October 15, 1942 N 1696 "On the exemption of Tajik and Uzbek students in the Tajik SSR from tuition fees in grades 8 - 10 of secondary schools, in secondary specialized and higher educational institutions and provision of scholarships to students."

Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of January 5, 1943 No. 5 "On the exemption in the Kazakh SSR of Kazakh, Uyghur, Uzbek and Tatar students from tuition fees in grades 8 - 10 of secondary schools, in secondary specialized and higher educational institutions and provision of scholarships to students."

Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated February 27, 1943 N 212 "On the exemption in the Uzbek SSR of students of Uzbeks, Karakalpaks, Tajiks, Kyrgyz, Kazakhs and local Jews from tuition fees in grades 8 - 10 of secondary schools, in technical schools and higher educational institutions and provision student scholarships.

Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated February 27, 1943 N 213 "On liberation in Azerbaijan SSR students of Azerbaijanis and Armenians from tuition fees in 8-10 grades of secondary schools, in technical schools and higher educational institutions and providing students with scholarships."

Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated March 19, 1943 N 302 "On the exemption of Turkmen, Uzbek and Kazakh students in the Turkmen SSR from tuition fees in grades 8 - 10 of secondary schools, technical schools and higher educational institutions and the provision of scholarships to students."

Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of May 15, 1943 N 528 "On exemption from tuition fees and provision of scholarships to students of the Kabardino-Balkarian Pedagogical Institute."

Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of March 4, 1950 N 838 “On exemption from tuition fees in higher and secondary specialized educational institutions for disabled people of the Patriotic War and former pupils of orphanages, labor colonies, labor educational colonies and pupils who were under patronage.”

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Another thought - around 1922-1923, if I'm not mistaken, we began demographic growth. The first ones had already finished school, but those born in 1924-1925. We were just entering that age. Could it not have happened that there simply weren’t enough schools for everyone, and they decided to limit things a little in this way?

Different versions, even to the point that they were preparing for war. I remember something similar happened when I graduated from school in 1984. They cut grades 9 and 10 in schools, and squeezed them out after grade 8 into vocational schools and technicians. Here it seems to me that the picture is similar; at that level of industry, the proportions of 1940 were sufficient.
Number of students

Free, accessible to all education is one of the main advantages of Soviet power, both in the eyes of its supporters and opponents. However, at one time they actively disseminated information that even in the USSR there was paid education, introduced under Stalin.

This caused fierce debate, in which many citizens who had a positive view of Stalin and the USSR actively denied the very fact of this. However, as the analysis shows historical sources, under Stalin, in 1940, partial tuition fees were indeed established.

Resolution No. 638

We are talking about a completely official decision of the leadership of the USSR, signed by the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (SNK) V. Molotov. Resolution No. 638 “On establishing tuition fees in senior secondary schools and higher educational institutions of the USSR and on changing the procedure for awarding scholarships” was issued in October 1940, shortly before the war, and was canceled by a Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR in June 1956.

According to this decision of the USSR government, tuition fees were introduced in grades 8, 9 and 10 of secondary schools (as well as technical schools, colleges and other secondary educational institutions) and universities. For schools and technical schools, this fee was 150 rubles per year in most cities and villages, for Moscow and Leningrad, the capitals of the USSR, 200 rubles. For universities in capital cities (and Leningrad) - 400 rubles per year, for other universities - 300 rubles.

Reasons for introducing tuition fees

The reasons for such a decision, given that before this the Soviet government was rapidly pursuing a policy of proliferation universal education, education and literacy for the population of the USSR, were very prosaic and set out in the Resolution itself.

Although in order to understand the true meaning of the decision, you need to look at it historical context. The Council of People's Commissars in its decision directly states that in connection with the increased level of well-being of citizens of the USSR and, at the same time, the high costs of construction and the ongoing development of a huge network of higher and secondary educational institutions, the Soviet state decided to assign part of the costs to the citizens themselves.

In fact, this means that having reached a certain, very high level compared to post-revolutionary years level of education and literacy among the population, having made a tremendous breakthrough in the development of industry, science and education immediately before the war, the USSR spent too much on this unprecedented modernization of the entire country.

The country's leadership, apparently clearly realizing that the level of education necessary to prepare for war and industrialization Soviet citizens achieved, a huge layer of the Soviet intelligentsia was grown, capable of meeting the needs of the country, decided to save money for further shock development educational system, directing them to current needs. And the current needs of the USSR in 1940 meant preparing the country for an inevitable big war.

This was a more than justified step for a rather poor state, straining all its strength and resources to survive. In its breakthrough of the 1930s, the USSR reached a certain level of development of the education system, which provided for the current pragmatic needs of the country’s survival and further development of this system exclusively at the expense of the state, part of it was rather “surplus”, for which in those conditions there were no resources.

A feasible burden for the population

As a result of this decision and the subsequent tragedy of the Great Patriotic War, there was some slowdown in the rapid pace of the spread of public education. It should be noted that it was temporary, and the abandonment of measures to introduce paid education occurred immediately after the end of the war and post-war period restoration of the country.

As soon as the recovered state could afford to develop industries related not only to the needs of current survival, it immediately did so. At the same time, you need to understand that paid education from 1940 to 1956 was not an analogue of cutting off educational services and knowledge of European paid, elite higher and secondary education.

As historians and researchers point out Soviet period, the amount of 150 rubles per year for schools and secondary educational institutions and 300 rubles per year for universities in most cities and villages of the country was not something unaffordable.

Historians report that the average worker's salary in 1940 was 300-350 rubles per month. While amounts of 300-400 rubles for studying at universities were intended for annual training. Even if the indicated average salary is, one way or another, overstated, and in reality an ordinary worker or peasant could receive only 200 or even 100 rubles a month, all the same, the indicated prices for training do not seem prohibitive.

Yes, for the population poor country this money was not at all superfluous, and not all families had good salaries. For example, for the peasantry these measures actually created serious problems V social mobility. However, here we must understand that the Soviet government deliberately for a long time restrained the possibilities of horizontal mobility of village residents, keeping them on collective farms.

At the same time, the introduction of fees did not cut off some other ways of obtaining free education, for example, in military educational institutions, and during the entire period of “Stalinist paid education,” despite the war and post-war reconstruction, the country’s educational system developed.

Objectively, regardless of political assessments Soviet power, the introduction of paid education in the most difficult conditions was absolutely justified and did not become an insurmountable barrier dividing different segments of the population by income level in the issue of receiving educational services.

It should be noted that despite the myths, largely formed by propaganda, truly welfare state in the USSR it was not built immediately, which in those historical conditions it was completely natural. On the way to being well-fed and peaceful life Soviet citizen in 1960-1970, the USSR went through periods of deprivation and self-restraint. A little more than 15 years of paid education was far from the most severe measure during these years of mobilization and asceticism.

When it comes to talking about increasing the volume of paid educational services in Russia, older generation often recalls the Soviet Union, where “everything was free.” It is impossible to convince them, and the very hint that in the USSR they had to pay for education is arousing. “Mel” tells whether parents of schoolchildren really had to spend money on education during the times of Lenin, Stalin and Khrushchev.

Informal fee

The school must be secular, uniform and free: this is how the Bolsheviks formulated in their decree in October 1918 basic characteristics primary and secondary education systems new republic. The system truly became secular - the lessons of God's law, not without obstacles, were abolished. It also became unified - gymnasiums and separate schools were abolished, from primary school students began to move to secondary school. But it took almost 40 years for the complete abolition of tuition fees.

In the first years of Soviet power school education faced great difficulties: this and impoverishment material base, and confusion in educational programs, and deterioration social status teachers.

The system was not centralized: many decisions were made local authorities, trustee and parent councils. This also applied to tuition fees. The schools were financed not only by the People's Commissariat of Education and regional budgets and organizations, but also directly by the parents of schoolchildren. The People's Commissariat of Education (Narkompros) explained in 1921: “The introduction of payment means that the State temporarily cannot fully bear the costs of public education and is forced to partially pass on these costs to the population, providing extensive benefits to workers and shifting a greater burden onto the shoulders of wealthy and well-off parents.” It turned out that the fees were optional - in the form of self-taxation, but without them the schools simply would not be able to operate.

In addition to the monetary educational “tax,” a natural “tax” was also collected in the form of products

It depended on the region and those involved in supervising the school. How much needed to be spent on education was decided locally, so it was impossible to avoid special zeal. Party and government bodies had to clarify that the fee is voluntary, and students cannot be expelled from schools due to its absence, since this devalues the “conquests of October.” In 1924, a decree was issued that exempted workers and employees whose salary was less than 50 rubles from paying for secondary education: the poor had to pay for the wealthy. Some schools had promotion committees that determined how the funds collected would be spent. If the situation was favorable, they could even provide free textbooks and meals to poor students. At the same time, it was prohibited to charge fees in educational institutions located in factories and factories.

The collection measures were called “temporary” - until the state and educational institutions became stronger - but they lasted a long time. In the 1930s, on average primary education a reform was carried out to unify the education system. We introduced clear lists of subjects and programs, raised salaries for teachers, but not mandatory financial assistance the school did not cancel directly from the parents.

All for the sake of factories

In 1940, paid education was officially introduced on a global scale. Soviet Union. According to the resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of October 2, free education was canceled in the last three grades of school and in special institutions secondary education. Complete secondary education was counted at the end of 10 grades, and secondary education at the end of seven. Everyone had to pay; there were no exceptions in the decree. However, they were soon determined: children of disabled pensioners with a single source of income and orphanage residents were exempt from fees. A little later, it became possible for teachers’ children to avoid paying too. Other benefits concerned higher education, which also became not free: the abolition of the decree for military faculties, aviation educational institutions, as well as national studios in art universities(although the fee should have been the highest in them).

Tuition price in graduating classes school at first glance was not so high: in the capitals of the union republics, Moscow and Leningrad - 200 rubles per year, in other cities and villages - 150. According to statistics, in 1940 the average salary for workers and throughout national economy was equal to 340 rubles. IN agriculture it was significantly lower - 229 rubles, but depended on workdays and payments in kind, which practically limited the ability to pay for training.

“My parents worked on the collective farm for workdays and could not pay right away in September, otherwise they would have to sell something from the farm,” recalled Belarusian Nina Tikach. - AND classroom teacher at every lesson he picked me up and asked when I would bring the money. But still they didn’t expel me from school.”

In other areas, fees also took a serious toll on wallets. The preamble of the decree spoke about the “increased level material well-being workers." But, for example, according to official data, food consumption was qualitatively inferior to the indicators of the second half of the 1920s. When saving general level purchasing power, material inequality among the population has increased. It is also necessary to take into account that the average number of children per woman in the pre-war years varied from 3.5 to 6.8. Of course, not all of them survived to high school and wanted to study there, but the fact is that one family could have more than one high school child. If in universities the fees could be covered by a scholarship, which was awarded only to those who studied well, then in schools the costs fell entirely on the parents.

How did the innovation affect the dynamics of the number of students in high school, it’s difficult to say, because next year The Great has begun Patriotic War. It naturally increased the number of beneficiaries - children of military personnel, disabled people and the dead.

The decision to introduce tuition fees could not but disturb the population of the country. Firstly, it appeared in October, introducing retroactive payment for an already started academic year. Less than a month was allotted to deposit the amount for the first half of the year - until November 1. Not everyone could urgently allocate funds, and the resolution did not say a word about a loan or deferred payments.

Alexander Gladkov,
resident of Moscow, playwright

“The decrees on the introduction of tuition fees are of great concern to young people. They say that the percentage of people leaving universities and schools is high. Among young people there is only talk about this and scholarships.”

Secondly, it was published on the same day as the decree “on state labor reserves of the USSR”, according to which an alternative to paid education for young people could become work education. Collective farms and city councils were obliged to mobilize a certain number of young people aged 14-17 to vocational, railway and factory schools. Graduates of such educational institutions must have worked for at least four consecutive years at state enterprises. It was not hidden that this was being done to “influx new labor into mines, mines, transport, factories and factories.” School studies in 1940 began on December 1: thus, schoolchildren who did not pay could easily begin their working careers in the same year. In addition, the draft age had been lowered a year earlier, so many poor students could now join the army.

University students in literally began to rebel, and teachers feared salary cuts

Here is a letter about the situation in Minsk that was intercepted by the NKVD in October 1940: “Whole riots. They don’t listen to lectures, they go against the assistants, they make noise, they shout. On general lecture They write such notes, it’s downright terrible. For example: “What should we call you now - Comrade Professor, or Mr. Professor, because we are going to the old one?” The official rallies were devoted to warm approval not of the introduction of tuition fees, but of the announcement of mobilization in workers' schools. As the Soviet press wrote, they were held at enterprises with joyful greetings and slogans about readiness to hire new personnel.

Perhaps to avoid real riots, the rules were soon changed for residents of some southern republics. In 1942–1943, resolutions were issued that were not advertised at the union level: to abolish fees for representatives of indigenous peoples in the Kyrgyz, Tajik, Kazakh, Uzbek, Azerbaijan and Turkmen republics. They were given significant quotas for higher education. Although this was contrary to the Constitution, which prohibited discrimination on ethnic grounds.

Completely free

Paid school education outlived Stalin himself. It was abolished in 1956 along with the introduction of state old-age pensions. Moreover, two years earlier the issue was raised by the prosecutor’s office, which saw a violation of the law in the unequal right to compensation for training costs in different republics. In subsequent years, attempts appeared to save budget money at the expense of students. For example, the reduction of service personnel such as cleaners - the students themselves put things in order in school buildings. Or schoolchildren were sent to short-term work on collective farms and factories. But from now on the school was considered free, that is, existing with state money.

And yet, for the sake of greater knowledge, one had to use personal connections, compete with one’s own mind at the Olympiads, or pay. For example, musical and art schools for children mostly remained paid.

In different parts of the country, conditions for schools in the use of infrastructure and material support were different. Informal fees from parents could solve minor economic problems and further encourage the work of teachers. We must not forget about spending on uniforms, food and stationery. An indispensable school attribute - textbooks - also had to be purchased. The state decision on the issue dates back to 1978, when the government decree on the transition to free use of textbooks came into force. Received literature from school libraries and through them they were passed on by “inheritance” - the shelf life was determined to be four years. In case of loss or serious damage to books, schoolchildren faced sanctions - they were threatened with non-certification.

By the collapse of the Soviet Union, the secondary education system remained in its free form.

«- But the Soviets don’t believe that it happened like that))))
- Anton, I don’t believe it. I’m young myself, but I haven’t heard this from my parents or from anyone at all. It looks like misconception, or like very far-fetched facts.
- Alexander, there’s even a scan of the order from 1940 on the Internet... it’s funny, but no, the “scoops” don’t believe in something there...” http://svobodnye-novosti.ru/new/platnye_shkoly_v_sssr/

Poor Soviet citizens simply did not have the money to pay for their children’s education or their own education.
By the way, paid education contradicted Article 121 of the 1936 USSR Constitution.

What did the Soviet government do in this situation? The CPSU Central Committee held consultations with the governments of the union republics and decided cancel tuition fees based on nationality for students in grades 8-10 of secondary schools, technical schools and higher educational institutions. In 1943, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted Resolution No. 213, which exempted from tuition fees:

-in the Kazakh SSR - Kazakhs, Uighurs, Uzbeks, Tatars(Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated January 5, 1943 No. 5);
-in the Uzbek SSR - Uzbeks, Karakalpaks, Tajiks, Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, local Jews(Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated February 27, 1943 No. 212);
-in the Turkmen SSR - Turkmens, Uzbeks, Kazakhs(Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated March 19, 1943 No. 302);
-in the Kabardian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, tuition fees are exempted Kabardians and Balkars, studying in pedagogical institute(Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated May 15, 1943 No. 528).

Only in 1956, three years after the “effective manager” died, Best friend Children and athletes, school fees were abolished. http://serednyak.livejournal.com/157764.html

Original taken from brodaga_2 in On equality in the USSR. Paid education in the USSR for Russians.

Resolution 638 of October 2, 1940 On the establishment of tuition fees in senior secondary schools and higher educational institutions of the USSR and on changing the procedure for awarding scholarships.
Considering the increased level of material well-being of workers and significant expenses Soviet state for the construction, equipment and maintenance of a continuously growing network of secondary and higher educational institutions, the Council People's Commissars The USSR recognizes the need to assign part of the costs of education in secondary schools and higher educational institutions of the USSR to the working people themselves and in this regard decides:
1. Introduce tuition fees in the 8th, 9th and 10th grades of secondary schools and in higher educational institutions from September 1, 1940.

2. Establish the following tuition fees for students in grades 8-10 of secondary schools:
a) in schools in Moscow and Leningrad, as well as in the capital cities of the Union republics - 200 rubles per year;
b) in all other cities, as well as in villages - 150 rubles per year.
Note. The specified tuition fees in grades 8-10 of secondary schools will be extended to students of technical schools, pedagogical colleges, agricultural and medical schools and other special secondary educational institutions.
3. Establish the following tuition fees in higher educational institutions of the USSR:
a) in higher educational institutions located in the cities of Moscow, Leningrad and the capitals of the union republics - 400 rubles per year;
b) in higher educational institutions located in other cities - 300 rubles per year;
c) in higher educational institutions of art, theater and music - 500 rubles per year.
4. Tuition fees are paid to the relevant educational institutions in equal installments twice a year: by September 1 and by February 1.
Note. For the first half of the 1940/41 academic year, tuition fees are paid no later than November 1st. G.
5. Fee for distance learning in secondary and higher educational institutions the fee is charged at half the amount.
6. Establish that from November 1, 1940, scholarships are awarded only to those students and students in technical schools who demonstrate excellent success.
Chairman of the People's Council
Commissioners USSR V. Molotov.
Manager of Council Affairs
People's Commissars of the USSRM. Khlomov.
Moscow Kremlin. October 2, 1940 No. 1860.
Source:Collection of resolutions and orders of the government of the Soviet Union Socialist republics No. 27, page 910

Resolution 676 On approval of the order of the Supreme High School"About events on the implementation of the Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR on the establishment of tuition fees in higher educational institutions and on changing the procedure for awarding scholarships to students."

1. Approve the order of the All-Union Committee on Affairs High School at the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR "On measures to implement the Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR on establishing tuition fees in higher educational institutions and on changing the procedure for awarding scholarships to students."
2 . Extend the measures outlined in the order for higher educational institutions (except for paragraph 5) to technical schools, pedagogical schools, agricultural and medical schools and other secondary specialized educational institutions.
Chairman of the People's Council
Commissars of the USSRV. Molotov.
Manager of Council Affairs
People's Commissars of the USSRM. Khlomov.
Moscow, Kremlin, October 12, 1940 No. 1993.
Approved by the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR on October 12, 1940.

ORDEROF THE ALL-UNION COMMITTEE FOR HIGHER SCHOOL AFFAIRS UNDER THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE OF THE UNION OF THE USSR
On measures to implement the Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR on the establishment of tuition fees in higher educational institutions and on changing the procedure for awarding scholarships students.
In accordance with the Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR “On establishing tuition fees in senior secondary schools and in higher educational institutions of the USSR and on changing the procedure for awarding scholarships,” I order:
1. Directors of universities should establish strict control over the implementation of clauses. 3 and 4 of the Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of October 2. d. on the payment of tuition fees by students of all higher educational institutions.
Students who did not contribute deadlines tuition fees, expulsion from higher educational institutions.
2. Students who receive at least two-thirds of the exam grades “excellent” and the rest not lower than “good” are enrolled in the scholarship.
Directors of higher educational institutions from November 1, 1940 to enroll in scholarships:
a) first-year students admitted to the institute without testing as excellent students in high school, and who received at least two-thirds of the grades “excellent” in the entrance exams, and the rest - not lower than “good”;
b) students, starting from the second year, who received in the spring examination session at least two thirds of the grades are “excellent”, and the rest are at least “good”.
3. Scholarship students defending their thesis project or passing state exams before January 1, 1941 will retain their existing scholarships.
4. Enrolled on state scholarship Needy students are exempt from tuition fees.
5. Allow free attendance by students in higher educational institutions training sessions in some disciplines (no more than one third of the disciplines provided for curriculum) with the obligatory completion of practical work and passing all exams within the time limits established by the curriculum.
6. Provide students with the right to transfer to evening and correspondence departments or to another university of the same type with the permission of the director of this higher educational institution.
7. Allow the People's Commissariat of students who graduated from the university, but did not pass state exams or not protected graduation project and those who have expressed a desire to switch to practical work, send them to production with the right to defend their thesis project or take state exams for two years.
Chairman of the All-Union Committee for Higher School Affairs under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR
WITH. Kaftanov.
Source:Collection of resolutions and orders of the government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics No. 28, pp. 946-948
Resolution 698About the amount of tuition fees in evening higher and secondary educational institutions and grades 8-10 in adult secondary schools.
The Council of People's Commissars of the USSR decides:
Establish that tuition fees in evening educational institutions (evening institutes, evening departments institutes, evening technical schools and other evening special secondary educational institutions), as well as in grades 8-10 of secondary schools, adults are charged half the tuition fee established for the corresponding educational institutions by Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of October 2, 1940 No. 1860 “On establishing tuition fees in senior secondary schools and higher educational institutions of the USSR and changing the procedure for awarding scholarships” (SP USSR 1940 No. 27, Art. 637).
Chairman of the People's Council
Commissars of the USSRV. Molotov.
Manager of Council Affairs
People's Commissars of the USSRM. Khlomov.
Moscow, Kremlin November 1, 1940 No. 2206.
Source:Collection of resolutions and orders of the government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics No. 29, p. 969

“Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of October 15, 1942 N 1695 “On the exemption of Kyrgyz students in the Kyrgyz SSR from tuition fees in grades 8-10 of secondary schools, in secondary specialized and higher educational institutions and the provision of scholarships to students.”
Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of October 15, 1942 N 1696 “On the exemption of Tajik and Uzbek students in the Tajik SSR from tuition fees in grades 8-10 of secondary schools, in secondary specialized and higher educational institutions and the provision of scholarships to students.”
Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of January 5, 1943 No. 5 “On the exemption in the Kazakh SSR of Kazakh, Uyghur, Uzbek and Tatar students from tuition fees in grades 8-10 of secondary schools, in secondary specialized and higher educational institutions and the provision of scholarships to students.”
Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of February 27, 1943 N 212 “On the exemption in the Uzbek SSR of students of Uzbeks, Karakalpaks, Tajiks, Kyrgyz, Kazakhs and local Jews from tuition fees in grades 8-10 of secondary schools, technical schools and higher educational institutions and provision student scholarships."
Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated February 27, 1943 N 213 “On the exemption of Azerbaijani and Armenian students in the Azerbaijan SSR from tuition fees in grades 8-10 of secondary schools, technical schools and higher educational institutions and the provision of scholarships to students.”
Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated March 19, 1943 N 302 “On the exemption of Turkmen, Uzbek and Kazakh students in the Turkmen SSR from tuition fees in grades 8-10 of secondary schools, technical schools and higher educational institutions and the provision of scholarships to students.”
________________________________________ _________________________

Original taken from glavbuhdudin in Paid schools in the USSR
Original taken from melfm in Paid schools in the USSR
How and how much they paid for secondary education in the Soviet Union

When there is a conversation about increasing the volume of paid educational services in Russia, the older generation often recalls the Soviet Union, where “everything was free.” It is sometimes impossible to convince them, and often just one hint that they had to pay for education in the USSR causes a storm of indignation. “Mel” tells whether parents of schoolchildren really had to spend money on education during the times of Lenin, Stalin and Khrushchev.

Informal fee

The school must be secular, uniform and free: so in October 1918, in their decree, the Bolsheviks formulated the basic characteristics of the system of primary and secondary education of the new republic. The system truly became secular - the lessons of God's law were abolished, not without obstacles. It also became unified - gymnasiums and separate schools were abolished, and students began to move from primary school to secondary school. But it took almost 40 years for the complete abolition of tuition fees.

In the first years of Soviet power, school education faced great difficulties: the impoverishment of the material base, confusion in the curriculum, and the deterioration of the social status of teachers.

The system was not centralized: many decisions were made by local authorities, boards of trustees and parent councils. This also applied to tuition fees.

The schools were financed not only by the People's Commissariat of Education and regional budgets and organizations, but also directly by the parents of schoolchildren. The People's Commissariat of Education (Narkompros) explained in 1921: “The introduction of payment means that the State is temporarily unable to fully bear the costs of public education and is forced to partially impose these costs on the population, providing broad benefits to workers and shifting a greater burden onto the shoulders of wealthy and well-off parents.” It turned out that the fees were optional - in the form of self-taxation, but without them the schools simply would not be able to operate. *

(* - note: “Resolution No. 638 was not the first in the USSR to introduce paid education. Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR of March 22, 1923“On the procedure for collecting tuition fees in institutions people's commissariat education" - it was this legal act that first approved the remuneration of educational services. Then a similar document was adopted - Decree of January 24, 1927“On the collection of fees in educational and educational institutions.” The fundamental difference between the first and second decrees was the change in the cost and mechanism of payment for education. http://istmat.info/node/21520)

In addition to the monetary educational “tax,” a natural “tax” in the form of products was also collected.

The collection measures were called “temporary” - until the state and educational institutions became stronger - but they lasted a long time. In the 1930s, a reform was carried out in secondary and primary education to unify the education system. They introduced clear lists of subjects and programs, raised teachers' salaries, but did not cancel optional financial assistance to the school directly from parents.

All for the factories

In 1940, paid education was officially introduced throughout the Soviet Union. According to the resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of October 2, free education was abolished in the last three grades of school and in special institutions of secondary education. Complete secondary education was counted at the end of 10 grades, and secondary education at the end of seven. Everyone had to pay; there were no exceptions in the decree. However, they were soon determined: children of disabled pensioners with a single source of income and orphanage residents were exempt from fees. A little later, it became possible for teachers’ children to avoid paying too. Other benefits concerned higher education, which also became not free: the abolition of the decree for military faculties, aviation educational institutions, as well as national studios in art universities (although the fees were supposed to be the highest in them).

At first glance, the price of training in the final classes of the school was not so high: in the capitals of the union republics, Moscow and Leningrad - 200 rubles per year, in other cities and villages - 150. According to statistics, in 1940 the average salary for workers and throughout the nation household income was 340 rubles. In agriculture it was significantly lower - 229 rubles, but depended on workdays and payments in kind, which practically limited the ability to pay for training.

“My parents worked on the collective farm for workdays and could not pay right away in September, otherwise they would have to sell something from the farm,” recalled Belarusian Nina Tikach. “And the class teacher stood me up at every lesson and asked when I would bring the money.” But still they didn’t expel me from school.”

In other areas, fees also took a serious toll on wallets. The preamble of the decree spoke about “the increased level of material well-being of workers.” But, for example, according to official data, food consumption was qualitatively inferior to the indicators of the second half of the 1920s. While maintaining the general level of purchasing power, material inequality among the population has increased. It is also necessary to take into account that the average number of children per woman in the pre-war years varied from 3.5 to 6.8. Of course, not all of them survived to high school and wanted to study there, but the fact is that one family could have more than one high school child. If in universities the fees could be covered by a scholarship, which was awarded only to those who studied well, then in schools the costs fell entirely on the parents.

It is difficult to say how the innovation affected the dynamics of the number of students in high school, since the Great Patriotic War began the following year. It naturally increased the number of beneficiaries - children of military personnel, disabled people and the dead.

The decision to introduce tuition fees could not but disturb the population of the country. Firstly, it appeared in October, introducing fees retroactively for the academic year that had already begun. Less than a month was allotted to deposit the amount for the first half of the year - until November 1. Not everyone could urgently allocate funds, and the resolution did not say a word about a loan or deferred payments.

Alexander Gladkov, Moscow resident, playwright:

Secondly, it was published on the same day as the decree “on state labor reserves of the USSR,” according to which workers’ education could become an alternative to paid education for young people. Collective farms and city councils were obliged to mobilize a certain number of young people aged 14-17 to vocational, railway and factory schools. Graduates of such educational institutions were required to work for at least four consecutive years in state-owned enterprises. It was not hidden that this was being done to “influx new labor into mines, mines, transport, factories and factories.” School studies in 1940 began on December 1: thus, schoolchildren who did not pay could easily begin their working careers in the same year. In addition, the draft age had been lowered a year earlier, so many poor students could now join the army.

University students literally began to riot, and teachers feared salary cuts.

Here is a letter about the situation in Minsk that was intercepted by the NKVD in October 1940: “Whole riots. They don’t listen to lectures, they go against the assistants, they make noise, they shout. At a general lecture they write such notes, it’s downright terrible. For example: “What should we call you now - Comrade Professor, or Mr. Professor, because we are going to the old one?” The official rallies were devoted to warm approval not of the introduction of tuition fees, but of the announcement of mobilization in workers' schools. As the Soviet press wrote, they were held at enterprises with joyful greetings and slogans about readiness to hire new personnel.

Perhaps to avoid real riots, the rules were soon changed for residents of some southern republics. In 1942-1943, resolutions were issued that were not advertised at the union level: to abolish fees for representatives of indigenous peoples in the Kyrgyz, Tajik, Kazakh, Uzbek, Azerbaijan and Turkmen republics. They were given significant quotas for higher education. Although this was contrary to the Constitution, which prohibited discrimination on ethnic grounds.

Completely free

Paid school education outlived Stalin himself. It was abolished in 1956 along with the introduction of state old-age pensions. Moreover, two years earlier the issue was raised by the prosecutor’s office, which saw a violation of the law in the unequal right to compensation for training costs in different republics. In subsequent years, attempts appeared to save budget money at the expense of students. For example, the reduction of service personnel such as cleaners - the students themselves cleaned up the school buildings. Or schoolchildren were sent to short-term work on collective farms and factories. But from now on the school was considered free, that is, existing with state money.

But for the sake of greater knowledge, you still had to use personal connections, compete with your own mind at the Olympiads, or pay. For example, music and art schools for children mostly remained paid.

In different parts of the country, conditions for schools in the use of infrastructure and material support were different. Informal fees from parents could solve minor economic problems and further encourage the work of teachers. We must not forget about spending on uniforms, food and stationery. An indispensable school attribute - textbooks - also had to be purchased. The state decision on the issue dates back to 1978, when the government decree on the transition to free use of textbooks came into force. Literature was obtained from school libraries and passed on through them as “inheritance” - the shelf life was determined to be four years. In case of loss or serious damage to books, schoolchildren faced sanctions - they were threatened with non-certification.

By the collapse of the Soviet Union, the secondary education system remained in its free form.
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And how touchingly Stalin’s concern for the poor Russian population was explained in Soviet newspapers

For a new rise in public education.

We were not even surprised by the reaction of many readers to the article about paid education in the USSR: anger, aggression and reluctance to hear the truth. This is exactly how those who consider this information to be slandering the Soviet past behave in conversations with journalists.

Those for whom the memories of the times of the USSR remain extremely pleasant, and such negative things as paying for school tuition simply do not fit into this ideal picture. We will not convince anyone of anything, but will provide the facts. We will put an end to this in this topic.

Verbatim quote

“No. 27 dated October 26, 1940. Resolution No. 638 “On the establishment of tuition fees in senior secondary schools and higher educational institutions of the USSR and on changing the procedure for awarding scholarships.”

Taking into account the increased level of material well-being of the working people and the significant expenses of the Soviet state on the construction, equipment and maintenance of the continuously growing network of secondary and higher educational institutions, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR recognizes the need to assign part of the costs of education in secondary schools and higher educational institutions of the USSR to the working people themselves and to In connection with this, it decides:

1. Introduce tuition fees in the 8th, 9th, and 10th grades of secondary schools and higher educational institutions from September 1, 1940.

2. Establish the following tuition fees for students in grades 8 - 10 of secondary schools:

a) in schools in Moscow and Leningrad, as well as in the capital cities of the Union republics - 200 rubles per year;

b) in all other cities, as well as villages - 150 rubles per year.

Note. The specified tuition fees for grades 8-10 of secondary schools will be extended to students of technical schools, pedagogical schools, agricultural and other special secondary institutions.

1. Establish the following tuition fees in higher educational institutions of the USSR:

a) in higher educational institutions located in the cities of Moscow and Leningrad and the capitals of the union republics - 400 rubles per year;

b) in higher educational institutions located in other cities - 300 rubles per year...

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR V. Molotov

Manager of Affairs of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR M. Kholmov

If we focus on the average nominal wages workers and employees in 1940 - about 300 rubles per month - then the amount of tuition for school and university education was set non-excessive (from 12 to 16 rubles per month). However, it turned out to be too much for many, which did not give many the opportunity to continue their education after the 7th grade. By the way, collective farmers did not receive wages at all at that time - they worked for workdays, surviving at the expense of their personal plots.

Eyewitnesses write

Dear editors of the newspaper “Va-Bank”! I testify that there was paid education. When I went to the 8th grade of our village school in September 1954, I did not have to pay only for the reason that my father was shot by the Germans. I’m the youngest, and my mother had five daughters. We all, including children, raised the village destroyed by the war. The pension for the father who was shot in 1942 was awarded only in 1949, and then for two children. Life has become a little easier. Mom stopped going to beg in distant villages (it was a shame to meet friends) in order to feed us. And they paid taxes to the last penny. For everything that was grown - taxes, and even for the trees in the garden. High school I graduated alone, although I didn’t have to pay our family. It was very, very difficult to live on a collective farm. Only after entering higher or secondary special establishment, you could get a passport.

Lyubov Paulskaya.

Thank you for the newspaper, which brings us not only useful information, but also publishes emotional articles. There is something to read, take note of, and use in life. I can’t resist speaking about paid education. I am one of those who paid for education in grades 8 - 10 (this was in 1947 - 50) in the city of Luza, Kirov region. My mother and I lived nearby in a logging village, from where we had to leave for a week and live in someone else’s apartment.

Of the four 5th grades (and each of them had 30 - 35 people), only 12 people came to the 10th grade... Dear editors! If they still accuse me of the fact that such paid training did not exist in the USSR, then offer them my phone number, I will tell you in detail about those years.

I remember how in the 9th grade I somehow missed paying for my studies, but in the 10th, on the eve of the exams, the class teacher said that I would not be allowed to take the exams if I did not pay the fees for two years. I didn’t go home, I knew that there was no such money there - a family without a father, my mother was not paid a pension for her three children (my father died at home from illness). But I didn’t go to school either. In the afternoon, the class teacher came to the hostess (I hid behind the stove) and began to convince me that I needed to go back to school, that I could sell something to pay. She also suggested that one of the teachers would pay for me. I couldn't stand it. I came out and said: “If the state doesn’t have the money to pay for my studies, I won’t come back!” It ended with me being called to the exams. Passed, but before last minute I didn’t believe that they would give me a certificate. Issued. But I still don’t know how it worked out.

My maiden name Naumova, my name is Elena Ivanovna, I am now 77 years old.

Dear editors! I'll tell you my story. In 1949, I finished seven classes (we lived in the Slutsk region). To study in the 8th, you had to pay 150 rubles a year (fees are 75 rubles in September and January). My parents worked on the collective farm for workdays and could not pay right away in September (they had to sell something from the farm). And the class teacher stood me up at every lesson and asked when I would bring the money. But still, they were not expelled from school.

In 1952, I graduated from the ten-year school and entered the Belarusian Polytechnical Institute them. Stalin. Studying at the university was also paid. I received the first scholarship for 295 rubles, but they only gave me 95, the rest was deducted for tuition. It also happened in January '53 after the session was passed. For those who did not receive scholarships, parents paid the fees. By the way, children of teachers were exempt from tuition fees for studying in grades 8-10.

Nina Grigorievna Tikach.