Education in Russia

                            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 10th and the  11th  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.