Russian demographer says fewer school years could deliver more babies
Sergey Rybalchenko, head of the Public Chamber's Demography Commission, has argued that bold steps are necessary to prevent Russia's population from shrinking.
In recent years, the country has seen negative natural population growth, falling from 149 million in 1993 to 146 million in 2025 despite an influx of immigrants and the unification of the country with Crimea in 2014 and four former Ukrainian regions in 2022.
The country's population is poised to decrease to 138.8 million people in 2046, according to the base-case scenario developed by the federal statistics agency Rosstat.
'A shorter education period would enable young people to reach adulthood and plan to have children for two years earlier,' Rybalchenko told TASS, explaining the initiative.
Getting married and having children at a higher age is linked to a longer period of social maturation, the demographer pointed out. Young people only start to think about children by the age of 27, as they spend 17 years getting an education and dedicate an additional three years to social adaptation after finishing university, he explained.
It is possible to cut the number of years spent in school from 11 to 10, so that students can dedicate five years to getting a higher education without sacrificing quality, the expert noted. Students completing 10 grades have demonstrated equivalent knowledge to those completing 11 grades, he said.
Russian MP Vitaly Milonov, who is known for his staunch support of 'traditional Russian values' and his vocal opposition to the 'child-free' ideology, said that the idea was underdeveloped.
Russians, like many in East Asia, Europe and North America, have begun to postpone parenthood. The average age at which women first had children was 26.2 years in Russia in 2023, according to Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, compared to 23 in 1995.
To address the demographic challenge, the government has increased financial incentives for families with children, taken steps to promote traditional family values, and in 2024 outlawed the promotion of the 'child-free' ideology.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously emphasized the importance of creating favorable economic and social conditions to encourage people to have larger families and increase the birth rate.
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