Over 740 Sakha education institutions to get centrally funded high-speed internet

The education and science committee of the State Assembly of the Sakha Republic (Il Tumen), chaired by People's Deputy Antonina Grigorieva, held a meeting. Deputies reviewed in first reading a bill providing for state funding of secure high-speed internet in the republic's education organizations and recommended that it be adopted.

Grigorieva said educational institutions previously paid for communication services from their own budgets, which created financial strain. Following instructions from President Vladimir Putin, from 2026 regions must provide schools and colleges with internet through a centralised connection funded from regional budgets. The Sakha budget allocates 223,023,488 solk. for 2026, to connect 736 institutions and expand to 741, and 224,080,328 solk. for 2027, covering 748 institutions. Rostelecom PJSC is the designated executor, and an agreement was signed on 31 March.

The bill amends Article 2 of the republic's education law No. 433-7 to align it with federal law No. 310-FZ. It received positive opinions from the republic's government, the prosecutor's office, Il Tumen's legal department and the regional office of the Justice Ministry. The bill is scheduled for first reading at the next plenary session, according to Il Tumen's press service.