How to transform the educational system to face next COVID crisis.

It is a well known fact that any crisis presents not only possible risks but opportunities as well. The COVID crisis has revealed some flaws in the Russian education system. It has made us adapt to a new context of teaching and forced us to find new ways of interconnection between all participants of the educational process. At the moment many scientists are warning about a second wave of the COVID pandemic in autumn, so we must be ready for it.

From my point of view, we must be ready psychologically, technically, and methodically. During the first period of distance working many Russian teachers faced a lack of software and computer skills, so they had to master them in a very short period of time. I believe that it is crucial to empower all teachers by providing free courses to improve their computer skills. Besides, teachers need to be liberated from the bureaucratic burden. Secondly, it is necessary to change the system of mid-term and end-of-course assessments, to make it more unified and more understandable for students. It is also important to change the curriculum for the next potential period of distance learning. Currently, students have to learn about fifteen subjects and that is very difficult to do distantly. In case of another period of lockdown it is more rational for students to learn no more than seven or so subjects. In conclusion, the COVID crisis has pointed out the presence of problems in the Russian education system. To solve them one must consider them deeply and in connection with reality. However, our system of education needs to be transformed.