Kirov parents complain about the requirement to install MAKH.

      Recently a post about the MAKH messenger appeared in the aforementioned public group. According to one of Kirov’s residents, her child’s homeroom teacher said that the principal allegedly demands registration in MAKH for at least 75% of all parents and students, citing that it is a federal requirement. “What kind of coercion is this?” the woman objected. “I’m not going to join it, but my only concern is whether the school administration will take it out on my child.”

      In the comments many Kirov residents noted that they had also encountered such demands, and not only from teachers but also from parents. However, opinions on this were divided. Some commenters wrote that they didn’t care and that they had installed MAKH. Another group said they preferred “Sferum” but had nothing against MAKH. Finally, a third group said they categorically would not install MAKH and are facing a number of problems because of it.

      Thus, one local resident wrote that she had not joined either “Sferum” or MAKH. Because of this her child ran into academic problems: “At the start of the year they uploaded schedule changes into Sferum. My child isn’t on Sferum, so I didn’t know. They gave a ‘2’. A call to the deputy head, and the ‘2’ was removed.” Answering the post author’s question, she expressed the opinion that no one would take it out on the children, but that to avoid information problems one must take care of it in time: “No one will take it out on them, call the deputy head or the principal. Our question: we are not on MAKH, where should we get information? We are not obliged to install this app. It’s a recommendation. For us this issue is resolved quickly. You need to know your rights. And no one takes it out on [the children].”

      Another local resident wrote that requirements to install MAKH are not written into law: “I have nothing against MAKH, but if something is being demanded, then let them back up their words with the letter of the law. Otherwise it’s just someone’s whims that can be ignored.”

      A teacher also commented on the situation: “No one will deliberately take it out on [students]. But as a teacher I am required to publish all information only in ‘Max’, and I don’t intend to conflict with administration over this. If someone is unaware of the latest news — that’s their problem.” The last sentence caused an outcry among parents.

      Kirov residents also noted that MAKH is the only messenger that works under internet restrictions. “The others don’t send or receive messages,” one city resident said.

      Recall that earlier Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov said that the switch of parents and teachers to MAKH is advisory and cannot be enforced. His remarks aired on the Russia-1 TV channel.