What would you say if you were asked about the education system in Russia?

15. What would you say if you were asked about the education system in Russia?

The right to education in Russia is ensured by the Constitution. According to the Constitution the education in Russia is free of charge. Parents must not pay money for their children’s education. Russian children start school at the age of six. But most of them have learnt letters in kindergarten which is now part of primary school. The course of studies at school is eleven years now: four years of primary school and seven years of secondary school. Children under the age of six are taken to crèches and nursery schools. There is a wide choice of schools nowadays: state schools, private schools, lyceums and gymnasiums. As I have already said the majority of schools are free of charge, but in some (usually private ones) parents have to pay for the education of their children. In ordinary schools parents sometimes pay for additional subjects in the curriculum, such as a foreign language or arts. Though it is generally not a demand, most children can already read and write when they start their school: this makes education much easier for them. At primary schools all lessons are usually conducted by one teacher. There are three or four lessons a day; they usually are Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. A lesson lasts forty or forty-five minutes. The list of subjects under study is further extended during the second, third and fourth years and includes the World History of Arts, Fundamentals of Security, History and Geography. At the age of ten children pass to the second stage of education, known as secondary school. In secondary school there is a wide variety of subjects under study and teachers specialize. The transition from primary to secondary school is sometimes difficult for children. After finishing the ninth form children get the Certificate of Basic Secondary Education, schoolchildren may either continue their education in the tenth form, or leave school and go to the technical schools and colleges. After eleven years at school the school leavers take exams and get the Certificate of Complete Secondary Education. Young people also have an option to get specialized secondary education in vocational schools after leaving the eleventh form. Among higher educational establishments are institutes, academies and universities. The term of studying in higher school is from four to six years. At the end of their final year at college, university or academy they take final exams and get a diploma. Besides, they can take postgraduate courses in the chosen field. I’d like to go on with my education after graduating from the college but I have not decided yet what institute to enter. Some words about our Teachers Training College. A history of Teachers Training College in Shakhty began in mid-thirties after the Civil War. It was founded in the town and trained teachers for the system of People’s Education of RF. A present-day history of teacher training in Shakhty began in 1983 when Shakhty Teachers Training Special School was re-established in the town. At that period of time Shakhty T.T. Special School trained teachers and nurses for Primary schools and Pre-schooling educational institutions. In 2001 Shakhty T.T. School was renamed into Shakhty T.T. College and started to train teachers for the system of Secondary Education of the country. Today College has four faculties which train teachers in Mathematics, Russian and Russian Literature and English and of course teachers of primary school. I’m a student of the English faculty. We have a lot of special subjects at our faculty: English practice, English Phonetics and Grammar, English Literature, Psychology and Methods of Teaching English. Besides, we had schooling practice at schools and other types of extracurricular activity. We had a lot of classes at college and went into school for one day each week, watching the experienced teachers at work. During the practice we took part in the life of the school, helped with games, societies or play productions. We observed and gave lessons and took an active part in discussing them with a supervisor on school practice. I think that Teaching is a noble profession and I’ve made a right choice.