Putin: Russia will never have tuition-paid education

There will never be tuition-paid education in Russia, President Vladimir Putin vowed on Wednesday, March 13. “We will never let this be in our country. I promise,” Putin said at a meeting on the development of children’s sport. “At least, this will never happen as long as I am president.” He stressed, “We cannot, should not and will not let things degrade. I understand what will happen if we move on to tuition-paid general education, given the income gap, which is a separate problem that needs to be addressed,” Putin said. “We will go down to the level of a third-rate country, and this will instantly reflect on all aspects of our life and competitiveness of the country as a whole,” he said. “This [transition to tuition-paid education] is absolutely unacceptable and this will not happen,” the president said.