The Russian Language is a Language of Opportunities. Russian House in the Republic of the Congo

The Russian House in the Republic of the Congo has become an important center of cultural and educational exchange, promoting the Russian language and culture in the country. Since its opening, it has become a place where people not only study the language but also develop their communication, creative, and cultural identity skills. Maria Fakhrutdinova, Head of the Rossotrudnichestvo Representative Office in Brazzaville, talks about the support provided by the Russian House in the Republic of the Congo.

Russian Language for the Congolese

Russian is a second foreign language (elective course) at lyceums of general education in the city of Brazzaville. It is also taught at some private schools. It is studied not only in the capital but also in other regions. There is the Russian World room in the city of Pointe-Noire, and a club “We Play in Russian” for the smallest children.

Since 2021, the Russian House has had a theater where its participants develop their Russian speaking skills and public speaking skills. Performances are staged every year. There has also been a speaking club for students at the Russian Center for Science and Culture. In 2024, its format was updated: now the club includes already employed graduates trying to maintain close ties with Russia and the Russian language.

Based on the results of various programs such as the New Generation, the World Youth Festival, and other activities, we formed the groups for professionals who start studying Russian from scratch.

In 2023, the Center for Open Education was opened in Brazzaville. The teachers from Voronezh State Pedagogical University offer short-term courses for Congolese school students, which has become a good tradition and an important step towards the improvement of educational opportunities in the region. However, there are still some limitations on effective and comprehensive distance learning. Firstly, this is due to the quality and stability of the internet connection. Secondly, this is due to the level of its accessibility in different regions as well as the availability of necessary equipment. Students do not often have a computer at home. They use outdated smartphones with unstable internet connection.

Nevertheless, we have chosen a more accessible option for young people using new technologies. We create video tutorials for TikTok, where we learn Russian words. The Congolese speak Russian, and Russians speak Lingala or Kituba. This format gets positive feedback from Africans in the whole Central Asian region. One of such videos had around 70,000 views in under five days.

At the moment, students have access to the Russian House's library and can attend some lectures for free. Unfortunately, comprehensive subject training is not provided in the Republic of the Congo at the moment. However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russian House delivered the Physics program for applicants. This volunteer project united the graduates of Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology that helped school students prepare for admission to Russian universities.

From Practice to Success

At the moment, the Russian House in Brazzaville, in cooperation with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and Literacy of the Republic of the Congo, is upgrading the educational program of Russian language for school students. At the same time, we take into account the special aspects of teaching the language to French-speaking students. We look toward developing our best practices at the Russian House first, and then scaling them. The effectiveness of our training is confirmed by the fact that every year universities offer our students, coming to Russia, to get enrolled in the first year at once, actually without a preparatory stage.

Rossotrudnichestvo strongly supports the learning process, providing students with study guides. During offsite events, the Embassy and the Russian House hand over textbooks, dictionaries, and keyboards with a Russian layout.

So, Rossotrudnichestvo's assistance creates a firm basis for participants of the National Russian Language Olympiad that has been held since 1977 in the Republic of the Congo. Congolese school students, who win this contest, get the Russian Government Scholarship to major in Russian as a Foreign Language.  Actually, this is focused training for future teachers. This year, the Olympiad is held in a new format.

Emphasis is placed on participants’ leadership skills. From April to May 2024, the city stages of the Olympiad, dedicated to the Soviet Victory in the Second World War, were held in all regions. The participants’ compositions reflected this theme. Now we have the second stage that has brought together school students from all over the country to improve their Russian language proficiency and prepare them for the final. The Olympiad finals will take place on December 15 in the format of the Smart Boys and Girls TV program. The contestants will study the theme “History and Culture of Crimea” showing their knowledge and a broad outlook as well as oratory skills and creative abilities. The winner will get a free ticket to Russia for studying.

In 2024, the Congolese school student Philippe Mongo became a laureate of the 20th International Olympiad for Foreign School Students. The extramural stage was held at the Russian House, and the finals took place in Moscow. Philippe turned out to be the only participant from Africa. Before his trip, he received intensive training and took third place in the finals, and was awarded at the Russian World Assembly.

Teachers are Ambassadors of Culture

Every year the Russian House holds training workshops for Russian language teachers. Moreover, they participate in Rossotrudnichestvo's offsite sessions, which provides the opportunity not only to get advanced training but also to visit such countries as Egypt, Senegal and Tanzania. In 2024, the Russian House organized offsite advanced training sessions in the regions where the staff members conducted master classes and intensive courses for Congolese specialists in Russian philology.

Russian language teachers also take an active part in the New Generation program implemented by Rossotrudnichestvo. The program is aimed at developing leadership skills in young people and uniting promising young professionals.

The Russian House actively conducts negotiations with the local authorities on expanding the Russian language courses and providing teachers with government jobs. Last year, five teachers, who came back from Russia, were employed.

Russian Language Promotion

Russian language promotion is one of our priorities. We do our best to increase the number of Russian language learners in the Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon. To increase interest in the Russian language and culture, we organize offsite events, concerts of Russian performers, meetings with native speakers as well as clubs and games in Russian. Last year, we had a successful Russian Culture Week, with a performance of the Nakh State Dance Ensemble. The opening of the week took place in Brazzaville and Kinshasa with a concert by the opera singer Daria Davydova and the Olympic champion Polina Komar.

The important part of our work is negotiations with local authorities and people responsible for the development of the language. We hope that subject teachers will start coming to the Republic of the Congo in the very near future.

Russian House in the Republic of the Congo