The officials' response to complaints about extortion did not satisfy the parents of Ingush schoolchildren.

Parents purchased individual items for school classes on their own initiative to create more comfortable conditions for their children, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ingushetia stated in response to complaints about extortion. Parents of schoolchildren, commenting on the agency's response on social media, doubted the objectivity of the ministry's inspection.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on September 6, parents of Ingush schoolchildren complained that they were forced to contribute money for school needs and buy textbooks. They demanded the publication of school budgets and urged parents to file complaints with the prosecutor's office.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ingushetia reported on its Telegram channel on September 6 that after complaints about extortion in schools, agency staff met with members of the parent committee.

"Parents explained that the purchase of individual items for classes was carried out on their own initiative – to create more comfortable conditions for children," the message published on the ministry's Telegram channel stated.

The ministry's press service attached a video to the message showing a school classroom. "The classroom is equipped with everything necessary for organizing the educational process. It has an interactive board, a blackboard, a sink, blinds, a computer, a printer, a cooler, and other equipment," said the press service employee in the video.

The Ministry of Education and Science's message on September 6 was also published on the Instagram*-public themagastimes24, which has about 30,000 followers. As of 10:40 AM Moscow time on September 7, the post had received 175 likes and 288 comments.

Some parents disputed the claim that the equipment for classrooms was purchased on their own initiative. "Of course, the classroom is equipped at the expense of parents. Everything is taken at the expense of parents, this is no secret to anyone," wrote user arida.ing_06.

"This is the actual state at the expense of parental money," pointed out gagieva_kam.

"And ask yourself where all this comes from, and the answer is one: all this was bought by parents, this is extortion from previous years, and with what conscience should such videos be shown! There is no school in our republic where parents did not participate in decorating the classroom. Who are you showing these videos for? For us, parents, who give this money, for the cooler, for the blinds? <…> We live in this republic, and our children study in these schools," wrote user sipax_ama_b.

Other commentators doubted that the classroom shown in the video reflects the condition of all classes. "Did they check all the classrooms, or just the one that was prepared just in case for the inspection? <…>" asked user ferrideeeee_06.

"Of course, they went and filmed where everything is available. Go to where there is nothing," wrote zalina_torti_domashnie.

"Why are you showing just one classroom? Show all of them," urged tsuroev_iunus.

Some commentators, on the contrary, stated that voluntary assistance to the school is not extortion in itself. "Everything that was asked to be contributed or collected, I contributed with pleasure because my children will use all this, and mostly we, parents, discussed and decided what they needed, the same soap and napkins – this only needs to be bought once, notebooks have always been bought everywhere to be the same for everyone," wrote user maarii.cake.

<…> A board and chalk – that’s all your child will get if the teacher realizes that their creative approach is not appreciated by the parents. The teacher will simply lose heart. And then you will start to be outraged. <…>. As a primary school teacher, I invest in my work: strength, time, and money. No one forces me. Just like the parents," noted user learn_with_dali.

Recall that on September 2, parents in Ingushetia complained about the collection of money in schools and kindergartens. According to them, refusing to contribute money could affect the attitude towards the child and their academic performance. The deputy chairman of the All-Russian Education Trade Union Mikhail Avdeenko explained at that time that schools should independently provide everything necessary for the educational process, and pressure on parents during collections is unacceptable.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that the problem of extortion in schools and kindergartens in Ingushetia had been raised before. On September 8, 2022, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ingushetia called on parents to report to the authorities about attempts to collect money for the needs of state kindergartens, while social media users pointed out that a similar problem exists in schools. On September 11, 2021, residents of the republic complained about the resumption of money collections in schools and kindergartens with the start of the school year.