MOSCOW, May 19 (RAPSI) – Russian Ministry of Education and Science has prepared legislative changes that propose to allow orphans who are over 18 years old to stay in orphanages until they are 23 years old if they were not able to continue education or failed to find a job, Izvestia newspaper reported on Thursday.

“The project allows specialized organizations that work with young orphans to allow temporary and cost-free housing accommodation and free meals to young people who crossed the 18 years old limit, but are not yet 23 years old. They would be able to stay until they find a job or are able to continue their education,” – the Ministry’s press-release reads.

According to Izvestia, these measures are aimed to address the fact that some young orphans who managed to enroll in colleges or universities fail to complete education and may drop out even after their first year.

The Ministry also proposes to make educational institutions official guardians for enrolled young orphans, Izvestia reports. Currently, guardian responsibilities are transferred to specialized regional entities when a person leaves an orphanage.

According to the newspaper, as of January this year, the federal database lists around 71,400 orphan children and children left without parental care. In 2015, over 42,000 children were transferred to substitute families, while 19,000 were transferred under provisional custody.