Education in Russia

Everyone needs at least a secondary education in his life. So when you begin spending sleepless nights thinking about the study at school, when you think longingly of school books, teachers and friends and when you are at age of 6 there is no doubt it – you’re really to go to school. The best way to get to know and understand the system of education in Russia is to know what kinds of schools are in Russia and how children study there. Every citizen of our country has the right to education. This right is guaranteed by the Constitution. It is not only a right but a duty, too. Every boy or girl must get secondary education. They go to school at the age of six or seven and must stay there until they are 14-17 years old. At school pupils study academic subjects, such as Russian, Literature, Mathematics, History, Biology, a foreign language and others.

After finishing 9 forms of a secondary school young people can continue their education in the 10^th and the 11^th form. They can also go to a vocational or technical school, where they study academic subjects and receive a profession. A college gives general knowledge in academic subjects and a profound knowledge in one or several subjects.

After finishing a secondary, vocational, technical school or a college, young people can start working or enter an institute or a university. Institutes and universities train specialists in different fields. A course at an institute or a university usually takes 5 years. Many universities have evening and extramural departments. They give their students an opportunity to study without leaving their jobs. Institutes and universities usually have graduate courses which give candidate or doctoral degrees.

Education in our country is free at most schools. There are some private primary and secondary schools where pupils have to pay for their studies. Students of institutes and universities get scholarships. At many institutes and universities there are also departments where students have to pay for their education.

Also it is interesting to know how pupils organize their life at school. So each school or technical has its School or Technical Council. It helps to plan the policy for the whole school. It organizes the social and cultural life at the school. School Councils in many schools are chaired by a student and have a majority of student members. They run discos and parties, stage drama productions and decorate the student common room. Music making is part of school life.