Elimination of illiteracy is urgent: old and new problems of the system of upbringing and education in Russia

Introduction. The article deals with the "eternal" and new problems of upbringing and education actualized in connection with the changes in Russia after the beginning of a special military operation in Ukraine. Their analysis requires a system-based comprehension of ideological, historical and cultural aspects of sociopolitical hypersystem of psychological and pedagogical work. The analysis is necessary to identify reliable pivots and search for appropriate guidelines in performing current and future activities aimed at upbringing and educating the youth of the country. The objective is to reveal and analyze the current problems at all levels of education in the country. Materials and Methods. Normative legal sources devoted to the development of education system in Russia and aspects of digitalization of society are studied. The authors employed methods of analyzing sources of information related to philosophy, political studies, economics, sociology, psychology and pedagogy, used analogy, analysis of statistical data. In comparing the outcomes of the studies achieved by the scholars of different countries and scientific schools in different periods the authors applied methods of comparison and summarizing, as well as system-based, dialectical, interdisciplinary approaches. Results and Discussion. A range of current problems at all levels of education in the country is revealed. The authors attempt to compare them with the problems of times of eliminating illiteracy in the 1920-1930s. From the view of the law of the revival of V. P. Bransky’s "decayed social ideals" the cyclical nature of a number of "eternal" problems in the field of education is examined, new problems generated by technological progress and the digital transformation of society causing confusion and sometimes unreadiness of the psychological and pedagogical community for actions in a new mixed reality being under consideration. Conclusions. The analysis of the array of urgent problems in the domestic system of upbringing and education is carried out on the interdisciplinary basis, certain measures aimed at overcoming them stage by stage under the current limited financial, material and personnel resources suggested.