The Russians in Kyrgyzstan suggest to develop the Kirghiz language

The chairman of the Coordination Council of the Russian Unification Compatriots Alliance (ROSS) Alexander Ivanov at the meeting of council of experts at the president of Kyrgyzstan on interethnic and inter-confessional development made the statement in which the program theses on development of Kirghiz language as a state language in Kyrgyzstan were formulated.

Policy statement of ROSS on the development of the Kirghiz language as state language of Kyrgyzstan

Language is a mirror of national spirituality. For this reason the respect for a state language, studying of its rich possibilities is a duty of each citizen of any country. Only about hundred languages in the world have the status of the state (official) language from existing more than five thousand languages. Having set the highest level to the Kirghiz language on a world-wide scale, the state should bear responsibility for compliance to so high status.

Having considering the above-stated, the development of the Kirghiz state language is the highest spiritual duty and the matter of honour of each citizen.

Having estimating the present provision of the Kirghiz language as the state one, the Coordination Council of ROSS considers necessary to the country leaders to develop and accept the strategic plans and programs on the Kirghiz language. We would like some development to be sounded and offered to consideration for adoption of the relevant decisions. There is the moment when not unfounded requirements of strengthening of a role of the Kirghiz language as state and real mechanisms of its realization in life of the people of Kyrgyzstan and the Kirghiz state are necessary.

Firstly, it is necessary to develop the adapted technique of studying of the Kirghiz language for the not Kirghiz-speaking people for an education system. As for 23 years any of techniques on studying of the Kirghiz language didn't justify itself, it is important to adopt the checked experience of techniques of studying of English, German, French and other languages, yielding the fine results. It is necessary to divide the classes at schools with the mixed language of training into groups of not owning state language and freely speaking in the Kirghiz language. To introduce the program of studying of the Kirghiz language as for foreigners for the first groups and to strengthen the studying of grammar, office-work, profound studying of the Kirghiz literature and the world literature in the Kirghiz language for the second groups. The first groups will pass to the strengthened program, having seized the colloquial speech.
Secondly, relying on the international practice of application of the status of a state language, the current law of the Kirghiz state language we offer the state and the public to consider the following mechanisms for its successful realization:

1. To enter the compulsory lessons of the Kirghiz language in the Russian groups of preschool institutions in the shortest terms. To provide with highly-skilled personnel and the adapted, illustrated, colourful literature.

2. To enter the compulsory end-of-year exams (from a class into a class) or testing on the Kirghiz language in system of school secondary education since 1 class as it is demanded by article 18 of the law of state language.

3. To carry out the strict certification on professional suitability of the teachers of the Kirghiz language in educational institutions. To make the teachers responsible for the studying of the Kirghiz language by children and for compliance of the received knowledge and marks. (At a surplus of teachers of the Kirghiz language in educational institutions, the children have no knowledge in this subject.)

4. To begin the practice of subjects presiding in the Kirghiz language. According to successful practice of the Turkish lyceums. 60 % of the training program should be conducted in a state language in 10-11 classes by 2020 year.

5. To make the compulsory testing on the Kirghiz language for everyone who enters the higher education institutions and specialized secondary educational institutions, irrespective of form of education (paragraph 3 of article 18 of the law of state language). If the mark in the school certificate doesn't correspond to the knowledge of the tested entrant, the teacher guilty of falsification, should be disqualified.

6. To make the Kirghiz language exam as the state one in higher education institutions since 2014. It will increase the interest to studying and will raise the level of knowledge of the Kirghiz language.

7. To define the directions and specialties in system of the higher education, the training on which since 2016 will be only in a state language. By 2020 the training in state universities should be 60 % in a state language. (According to the statistics, given by the Ministry of Education of the republic, if rather large number of schoolchildren receives the knowledge in the Kirghiz language, so there are no higher education institutions and specialties in system of the higher education, the training in which would be in the Kirghiz language).

8. To introduce widely the distance studying of the Kirghiz language by means of the development of innovative forms and training techniques (creation of new programs of distance online training, virtual exercise machines, electronic interactive textbooks, dictionaries, multimedia and training means).

9. With a view of implementation of article 8 of the Law of state language, it is necessary to carry out the open public examinations not only for the President of the Kirghiz Republic, but also as it is defined by the law, the similar examinations should be passed by the following: the chairman of Jogorku Kenesh, the prime minister, judges of the Supreme court, judge of the constitutional chamber of the Kirghiz Republic.

10. To define the qualifying language requirements for each specialty, position, including the public and municipal service. To develop and introduce the tests for civil servants on compliance of a post according to necessary knowledge level of state language as it demands the implementation of article 9 of the law of state language. Those who won’t pass similar tests, to discharge from posts.

11. To create some kind of Kirghiz TOEFL.

12. The main propagandists of the language are the cinema, television, radio, the press. In this regard:

At the first stage of information state policy, since January 1, 2013 to transfer KTR and ELTR to 100 % broadcasting in the Kirghiz language, instead of defined by laws more than 50 % (with a subtitle translation into the Russian).


Publicly shown films on local channels should be sounded or duplicated on a state language or should be provided with the parallel subtitle translation into the Kirghiz language. It is necessary to adopt the experience of the Kazakhstan channels which could translate and continue to translate and synchronize the known not only Soviet, Russian and foreign films, but also the modern series for a short period of time. Also that is especially important - the translation of popular animated films is necessary with which the acquaintance of the younger generation with the world and language begins and which it would be possible to broadcast in preschool and younger school institutions.

To develop and systematically to publish in the mass edition the multi-format methodical manuals specialized on sectors (phrase books, dictionaries and so forth).

To form a prestigious image of the carrier of a state language, to popularize a state language as family value, to fix a positive image of a state language in public consciousness via the mechanisms of political and PR technologies, mass media.

To open an available language courses (especially in Chuysk and Issyk Kul regions), summer camp for studying of the Kirghiz language (in Issyk Kul and in the south of the republic), language discussion clubs according the experiment of schools, camps, clubs on English language studying. To organize “immersion in language environment” (world practice) - the temporary settlement in families in Jayloo in Naryn area, there should be available, free courses of practical Kirghiz language in Chuysk region in each area, in Bishkek in each micro-sector. It is necessary to organize the training system of skills of the business official writing (filling of forms, accounts, statements) in a state language for the population on these courses or in the corresponding state institutions.

13. To open more Internet resources in the Kirghiz language and on studying of the Kirghiz language, electronic translators. To support the individuals when they open the similar sites.

14. To increase the quantity of literature in the Kirghiz language, to provide the educational institutions, libraries with books. To create the material incentives for the literature edition in the Kirghiz language, including for translations of known works of the world classics into state language.

15. To release the musical developing games for children and “speaking” toys with the use of national motives and speech sounding in the Kirghiz language.

16. To introduce a state language in information technologies, electronic devices, cell phones, etc.

17. To create the Republican centre of linguistic and legal expert examination, to prepare the corresponding shots, material and financial security.

18. To organize more cultural events (competitions, festivals etc.) and information and propaganda actions (seminars, conferences, forums etc.) with the involvement of schoolchildren, and low-speaking or non-speaking the Kirghiz language students.

This list is possible and necessary to be continued, but we are sure that the state (in accordance with the experience of other countries) in a priority order will determine the most important, paramount measures for real strengthening of the high status of the state Kirghiz language. All citizens from the president of the country to the pensioner should realize – in order to live in Kyrgyzstan, it is necessary to know not only usual, but also literary Kirghiz language, not only to think on it, but also to move a science, to adjust the production, to solve, write, make documents, to build the future. It concerns everyone: speaking the Kirghiz language and nonspeaking. Everyone should study and to answer too: both the pupils, teachers and state as a whole. We have no other way.

The state duty is to create the real mechanisms for studying of the Kirghiz state language. The duty of citizens is to master a state language at the highest level using these mechanisms.