June 1st — Children's Protection Day. We are accustomed to thinking about protection from war, hunger, violence. But there is another threat: poor education. Children who are not taught to learn will suffer all their lives. Education is the most powerful shield. It protects from poverty, manipulation, fear. But our educational system often does not provide this shield. Let's figure out how education protects children and what we can do on June 1st.

Why Education Is Protection

An educated child can distinguish facts from fiction. This is protection from propaganda, from scammers. The child knows their rights, does not fear saying "no" to violence. Can find information about illness, about help. Knows how to learn — means, will be able to master a new profession if the old one becomes outdated. Have a higher income in adult life — less risk of poverty. The higher the level of education of the mother, the lower the child mortality rate.

Education also reduces the risk of early marriages, teenage pregnancies.

What's Wrong with Modern Education

School often teaches rote learning, not thinking. The Unified State Exam is training for tests. Children are afraid of mistakes (a mistake = a double, not experience). Overload: 8 lessons, homework until night. No right to rest. Burnout already in 8th grade. Inequality: schools in cities and villages — heaven and earth. Tutors for the rich, state support — for the poor. Bureaucracy: teachers spend time on reports, not on children.

In 2026, problems with AI were added: children write essays through neural networks, not learning to think.

Education for Children with Special Needs

Inclusive education is protection. A child with autism, with DCP, with Down syndrome has the right to study in a regular class. But in Russia, inclusion is flawed: there are no tutors, no ramps, no prepared teachers. Parents are forced to either send their child to a special school (often bad) or hire private teachers.

Protecting children with special needs is not only a law but also the kindness of peers. The school should teach children to accept others. In 2026, a pilot project "Kind Schools" has been launched in several regions, where tolerance lessons are mandatory.

How Parents Can Help on Children's Protection Day

Instead of a new iPhone, give your child a book. Not an encyclopedia, but a literary, captivating one. Show that reading is joy, not punishment. Help with homework without shouting. Explain that a mistake is normal. Enroll your child in free online courses (on platforms "Sputnik", "Yandex.Learning"). Talk to the teacher if the child is overloaded. Write an application to the director asking to reduce the amount of homework. Set a schedule: gadgets only after lessons.

Important: do not compare your child with others. "Look, Pete is an excellent student, but you...". This is not protection but humiliation.

What Schools Can Do

Remove unnecessary bureaucracy. Increase the number of psychologists (currently 1 per 1000 students). Introduce lessons on critical thinking. Train teachers to work with neural networks (not to ban, but to teach to use for the benefit). Organize clubs of interest (free). Conduct days without homework (once a month). Create a "safe room" — a place where a child can come and just relax, cry.

In 2026, such programs are already available in some schools (Moscow, Kazan, Novosibirsk).

Children's Protection Day and Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is part of education. Children should be able to search for information on the internet, check sources, not fall for scammers (phishing, fake contests). Be able to set privacy settings on social networks. Understand what a "digital footprint" is. Know that you cannot post your photos, address, schedule.

On June 1st, digital literacy lessons are held in many schools. Visit them with your child.

Criticism of the Educational System: Parents' Voice

Parents complain: school suppresses creativity. Children are not taught to ask questions, only to answer. Grades kill motivation. Children learn for a five, not for knowledge. School is not preparing for life — there are no lessons on financial literacy, psychology, self-defense. Teachers are overloaded, cannot pay attention to each child.

In 2026, parent associations have been created to achieve changes. For example, the initiative "Homework Without Stress" has collected 100,000 signatures.

Children's Protection Day is a reminder: education should protect, not harm. It should give wings, not shackles. Let June 1st become a day when you say to your child, "I will help you learn. Not for grades, but for life." And start tomorrow. Don't wait for Monday.
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