Education in Russia

Russians have always shown a great concern for education. The right to education is stated in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It is ensured by compulsory secondary schools, vocational schools, and higher education establishments. It is also ensured by the development of extramural and evening courses and the system of state scholarships and grants.

Education in Russia is compulsory up to the 9th form inclusive. The stages of compulsory schooling in Russia are: primary education for ages 6-7 to 9-10 inclusive; secondary education including intermediate school for ages 10-11 to 12-13 inclusive, and senior school for ages 13-14 to 14-15 inclusive. If a pupil of a secondary school wishes to go on in higher education, he or she must stay at school for two more years. Primary and secondary school together comprise 11 years of study. Every school has a «core curriculum» of academic subjects, such as Russian, Literature, Mathematics, History, a foreign language and others. Lyceums and gymnasiums offer programs giving a profound knowledge in some field of study.

After finishing the 9th form one can go on to a vocational school which offers programmes of academic subjects and a programme of training in a technical field, or a profession.

After finishing the 11th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or a gymnasium one can go on in higher education. All applicants must take competitive examinations. Higher education institutions, that is, institutes or universities, offer a 5-year programme of academic subjects for undergraduates in a variety of fields, as well as a graduate course. If one finishes a graduate course and writes a thesis, he or she receives a candidate's degree or a doctoral degree.

Higher educational establishments are headed by Rectors. Prorectors are in charge of academic and scientific work. An institute or a university has a number of faculties, each specializing in a field of study. Faculties have specialized councils which confer candidate and doctoral degrees.

The system of secondary and higher education in Russia is going through a transitional period. The main objectives of the reform are: to decentralize the higher education system, to develop a new financial mechanism, to give more academic freedoms to faculties and students. All secondary schools, institutes and universities until recently have been funded by the state. Now there is quite a number of private fee-paying primary and secondary schools; some universities have fee-paying departments.

Topical Vocabulary

to show a great concern for education – придавать большое значение образованию

the right to education – право на образование

to be ensured by smth. – обеспечиваться чем-либо

compulsory -обязательный

a secondary school – средняя школа

a vocational school - училище

a higher education establishment - вуз

an extramural course – заочное обучение

an evening course – вечернее обучение

state scholarships and grants – государственные стипендии

inclusive - включительно

a stage - этап

compulsory schooling - обязательное школьное обучение

primary education - начальное образование

secondary education - среднее образование

intermediate school - средние классы

senior school – старшие классы

to go on in higher education – продолжать образование в вузе

core curriculum - основная программа

an academic subject – академический предмет

lyceum - лицей

agymnasium - гимназия

to give a profound knowledge – давать углубленные знания

a programme of training in smth. – программа подготовки по какому-либо предмету

an applicant - абитуриент

totake competitive examinations – сдавать конкурсные экзамены

a higher education institution - вуз

an undergraduate - студент

a graduate course - аспирантура

a thesis - диссертация

a candidate degree – степень кандидата наук

a doctoral degree – степень доктора наук

to be headed by Rector – возглавляться ректором

to be in charge of academic and scientific work – отвечать за учебную и научную работу

a faculty - факультет

a specialized council - специализированный совет

to confer a degree – присваивать степень

to go through a transitional period - находиться в переходном периоде

an objective - цель

to decentralize smth. – уничтожать централизацию в чем-либо

to develop a new financial mechanism – создавать новый финансовый механизм

to be funded by the state - финансироваться государством

a private school - частная школа

a fee-paying school – платная школа

Answer the questions:

1. What is the right to education in Russia ensured by?

2. What are the stages of compulsory schooling in Russia?

3. What programmes of study do different types of school in Russia offer?

4. What is a vocational school?

5. What is necessary for entering a higher education establishment?

6. What degrees can one get at a higher education establishment?

7. What is the structure of an institute or a university?

8. How can you prove that education in Russia is going through a transitional period?

Translate into English:

1. Право на образование, записанное в конституции, доказывает, что в России придается большое значение образованию.

2. Существует два этапа обязательного школьного образования в Рос­сии: начальное образование и среднее образование.

3. Обязательное среднее образование в России состоит из двух эта­пов: средние классы и старшие классы.

4. Во всех школах есть основная программа; лицеи и гимназии пред­лагают академические программы и программы, дающие углублен­ные знания в одной из областей.

5. Поступающие в вуз должны закончить 11 классов средней школы и пройти через конкурсные вступительные экзамены.

6. После окончания курса аспирантуры и написания диссертации аспирант получает степень кандидата наук.

7. Во время переходного периода меняется финансовый механизм образования: появляются частные школы и платные отделения в ин­ститутах.

8. «Всеобщие» школы предоставляют неселективное образование.

9. Выпускные экзамены сдаются по нескольким предметам в уров­нях «О» (обычный) или «А» (продвинутый).

10. Многие родители, которые могут это себе позволить, посылают детей в платные школы.