In 1984 he proposed a change of the entire school structure, and an extension of the 10 years of Russian-language schooling to 11 years, as was already the case in Estonian schools. The price of this planned increase in the length of a school career was to have children starting at school at the age of six rather than seven.
1984. aastal tegi ta ettepaneku muuta koolistruktuuri ning kujundada vene õppekeelega koolid, mis senimaani oli 10-klassilised, 11-klassiliseks, nagu see juba oli eesti õppekeelega koolis. Kooliaja pikenemine oli ette nähtud 6-aastate laste koolituleku arvel.