Many ninth-grade students in Chelyabinsk, Russia, may face difficulties enrolling in the 10th grade due to limited spaces and competitive selection processes. Parents are expressing concerns about the increasing pressure on students to perform well in order to continue their education beyond the ninth grade.

The Chelyabinsk Committee on Education Affairs forecasts that only 5,889 out of nearly 14,500 current ninth-grade graduates will be accepted into the 10th grade in the upcoming academic year. This means that a significant portion of students may not be able to complete their secondary education in a traditional school setting.

The introduction of mandatory specialized training in the 10th and 11th grades, along with a competitive selection process, has intensified the competition for available spots. Schools now consider academic performance, grades in specialized subjects, OGE (Main State Exam) results, and participation in competitions and Olympiads when evaluating applicants.

Parents report that some schools are warning students as early as the fifth grade that they may not be eligible for 10th-grade enrollment. There is also frustration that average students are being denied the opportunity to continue their education, even if they are motivated and interested in learning.

According to Igor Mayorov, head of the department for ensuring the activities of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Chelyabinsk Region, refusing a child admission to the 10th grade if they have passed their exams and received a certificate is a violation of their right to education, which is enshrined in the Constitution.

The Chelyabinsk Committee on Education Affairs states that a student can only be denied admission if there are no available spaces at the school. Parents are encouraged to contact the committee if their child is not accepted, and they will be assisted in finding alternative options.