True, the distrustful attitude towards the official schools was gradually weakening as the new Government of Alexander II.
was passing from the former policy of oppression to that of reforms.

By and by, the compulsory attendance at these schools became a voluntary one, prompted by the desire for general culture or for a special training as rabbi or teacher.

Nevertheless the expectation of the Russian Government under Nicholas I.that the new schools would take the place of the time-honored educational Jewish institutions, the heder and yeshibah, remained unfulfilled.

Only an insignificant percentage of Jewish children went to the Crown schools, and even these children did so only after having received their training at the heder or yeshibah.
Realizing this, the Government decided to combat the traditional school as the rival of the new.

Immediately upon his accession to the throne, Alexander confirmed the following resolution adopted by the Jewish Committee on May 3, 1855: "After the lapse of twenty years no one shall be appointed rabbi or teacher of Jewish subjects, except graduates of the rabbinical schools [1] or of the general educational establishments of a higher or secondary grade." [Footnote 1: i.e., the Government training schools for rabbis provided by the ukase of 1844.