The education system in different countries of the world briefly. France: four-day school week

STATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF HIGHER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION "ORYOL STATE UNIVERSITY"

FACULTY OF PHILOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM AND CO

abstract

"Education systems in different countries peace"

UK classical education

Great Britainrightfully has a reputation as a country of high-quality classical education, the history of which goes back more than one hundred years. The issued diplomas are quoted all over the world.

The UK has an extensive system that allows you to get a good education and training at any level. There are about 30 thousand schools in the country, of which 2500 are private, and more than 170 higher educational institutions. One of the traditions of the country is the openness of the education system for foreigners. Of the 2 million students, 214 thousand are people who have come from abroad. According to the British Council, as of September 12, 2001, 13,400 Russian citizens were educated at various educational institutions in the UK. Of these, 1360 people are university students.

The education system is built in such a way that a foreigner can "enter" it at almost any stage. But the requirements are high and it is not easy to do so. In addition, it should be taken into account that the Russian matriculation certificate is not recognized as equivalent to the British one (to obtain it, one has to study in a Russian school for 11 years, and in a British one - 13).

Schools. English children start school at age 5 and graduate at 16, receiving a certificate of secondary education (General Certificate of Secondary Education, GCSE). Until the age of 14, they study basic general education subjects in a compulsory unified state program. Then, within two years, there is preparation for passing the GCSE exams in 6-10 subjects. After passing these examinations, the compulsory secondary education program is considered completed. But this is not enough to enter the university. It is necessary to study for two more years on the A-level program, which provides for in-depth study of three to six subjects. The results of the A-level exams serve both the British and foreigners as a "start in life" for continuing their education: according to the competition of certificates, you can enter a university.

In order for a child from Russia to receive a quality English education, it would be nice to start right with English school. More than 90% of secondary schools in the UK are public and free. However, as a rule, foreigners are not accepted there, so it remains to enter a private school. Although they are attended by only about 6% of all students, private schools provide about 50% of those entering the elite Oxford and Cambridge. In general, 90% of graduates of English private schools easily enter the leading universities in the UK, USA, Canada. Private schools accept foreigners aged 8 to 18 years old, boarding schools - from 7 to 16 years old.

Colleges. English youth receives secondary and special education in colleges. They also accept foreigners. You can also enter an English college after graduating from a Russian school. Colleges provide vocational training and are an intermediate step between school and university.

College curricula are focused primarily on practical preparation for professional activity. But increasingly, they are also used for university preparation, and the highest of the qualifications they assign is equivalent to the A-level matriculation certificate. In fact, these colleges allow students to complete a two-year A-level program at an accelerated pace - in a year.

Foundation preparatory courses operate on the basis of a number of British colleges and universities. Their duration is one year, the program includes an in-depth study of the English language and basic majors.

Universities. Higher education institutions in the UK are divided into three types. There are colleges (Colleges of Higher Education), which, like universities, award academic degrees (only bachelor's level) and issue diplomas of higher education. But unlike universities, they are highly specialized educational institutions in areas such as painting and design, music, theater arts, and education. There are polytechnic institutes where engineering specialties are usually acquired. There are university colleges which are usually integral part universities. Finally, there are classical universities, which, as before, remain the centers of academic education and scientific work.

language schools. In the UK, there are about 1,500 educational institutions teaching English to foreigners, about 800 of them are private specialized language schools. Over 370 schools are accredited by the British Council, which means that they meet strict quality standards and are recommended for international students.

Irish education system

There are more than 3,000 primary, over 800 secondary, more than 150 language schools, 14 institutes of technology, several private pedagogical and business colleges, and seven universities in Ireland.

All educational institutions are controlled at the state level by special bodies that monitor the compliance of the educational process with accepted standards.

Rich traditions and high quality of education, the opportunity to earn money legally attract many foreigners to Ireland. Over 150,000 students come to Irish language schools alone every year. The share of students from abroad in Irish universities varies from five to ten percent, depending on the institution.

Schools. The Irish receive primary education from 4-6 years. The National Curriculum, culminating in a certificate of secondary education, is designed for 12-14 years of study, depending on the age at which the child started school. Some private schools offer the International Baccalaureate and British A-levels.

Secondary schools in Ireland are public and private, mixed and separate, day and boarding schools. Most secondary schools in Ireland are private. Children from abroad are accepted in both private and public schools. In the latter case, the fee is very moderate and lower than in private schools. After 6-8 years of primary school, there is usually a test for general development and knowledge of the main subjects of the school curriculum. At the age of 12, an Irish child goes to high school, where he studies English and Irish, mathematics, economics and science for six years.

Those wishing to receive higher education must spend an additional three years at school. Over the past two years, Irish schoolchildren have been studying 6-8 subjects, in which they take exams for a certificate of complete secondary education - Leaving Certificate.

For Russian schoolchildren boarding schools available already at the age of 9-12 years.

Colleges. The specificity of Ireland lies in the fact that colleges and universities in its educational system are not separated, believing that together they form the so-called "third level". Therefore, many undergraduate programs are organized on the basis of colleges.

Vocational education is available from institutes of technology and private independent colleges. They can study information technology, hotel management, accounting and other areas of applied nature.

Universities. There are seven universities in Ireland, and most of them are built according to the classical model, i.e. offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in a wide range of disciplines.

Scientific research is actively conducted on the basis of universities. The Advanced Technologies Program finances scientific projects in the fields of biotechnology, optoelectronics, information technology and telecommunications.

Colleges of Education train primary school teachers. In them, in three years, you can get a bachelor's degree. High school teaching requires a university degree or diploma, so many colleges are either affiliated with Irish universities or enter into agreements with them.

The second option is the preparatory departments (Foundation), which first appeared in Ireland not so long ago. This program is accredited by the NCEA and is recognized by both Irish and foreign educational institutions.

language schools. The backbone of Irish education is made up of schools that are members of the MEI-RELSA (Marketing English in Ireland - Recognized English Language Schools Association), created to strengthen the prestige of Irish education abroad. Quality control and accreditation of schools is carried out by the Advisory Council for English Language Schools (ACELS).

By the number of higher educational institutions, and consequently, the number of students receiving education in them, the United States ranks first in the world. More than 15 million people study in American universities, 500 thousand of which are foreigners. They are attracted by a high standard of living, a huge selection of study programs, and a decent quality of academic training.

Education in the USA

educational training college university

It is believed that the US the best option for master's and doctoral studies. Many American universities play a leading role in research projects of international importance. Their level is determined by an excellent laboratory and technical base, easy access to all conceivable sources (scientific periodicals, library collections, etc.) and the presence of world-famous teachers.

Schools. American children go to school at age 6 and study until the age of 18, i.e. 12 years. Schools are divided into public and private. Due to the lack of a unified national curriculum, secondary school graduates have different level preparation. The best knowledge is received by students of prestigious private boarding schools.

Preparation for entering the university is carried out in the senior classes of the American high school, where a wide range of general education subjects is studied - English and foreign languages, history, natural sciences, etc. Many private schools offer an International Baccalaureate program as an alternative.

Colleges. A characteristic feature of the American education system is the developed college system. There are more than 3,000 colleges in the United States, which are divided into several main types: two-year technical, community and four-year colleges, which are equated in status with universities. The latter can be both independent institutions of higher education, as well as be part of other universities.

Foreigners often prefer Community Colleges because they are easier to get into. These educational institutions not only teach professions, but also offer academic training programs corresponding to the first two years of university. Typically, local colleges have agreements with public universities in their state to transfer students.

Universities. American universities are divided into private and public. Both can be of different levels: along with the brilliant Yale and Harvard, there are a number of small and unremarkable educational institutions. Science course they are much cheaper, but the diploma is quoted much lower.

Obtaining a bachelor's degree provides for four years of study. The curricula of American universities are distinguished by the ability to combine elective subjects as widely as possible.

Second step higher education- These are master's programs, designed for an average of two years. Their students make up about 52% of foreigners studying in the USA.

Foreign students prefer to study business administration, management, economics, i.е. disciplines in which Americans are undisputed world leaders. The MBA programs of American business schools are very popular.

Language classes. One of the main requirements for those who are going to study in the USA is an excellent knowledge of English. You will have to take the TOEFL test of English as a foreign language, and it requires a lot of specific preparation. The test is designed to test the ability to understand oral and written language, formulate your thoughts and write an essay. Usually for admission to the university you need to score 550-600 points.

All major international linguistic centers - LAL, Aspect, EF, International House, Regent, etc. - have their branches in different regions of the United States. Many branded language programs provide for a combination of study with relaxation in American resorts.

Canadian education system

Canada is one of the states whose diplomas are quoted all over the world. This is not surprising: Canada spends more money on the development of the education system than many other developed countries.

Canada is one of the world leaders in the field of high technologies, aerospace industry, microelectronics. As a result, all these areas are taught here at a very high level. Canadian engineering education, as well as programs in business and natural sciences, enjoy a good reputation. Diplomas from Canadian educational institutions are recognized all over the world. All these advantages attract over 100,000 international students to Canada every year.

Since there are two foreign languages ​​in Canada - English and French, a foreign student can study at a university where teaching is conducted in any of them. English is more widely spoken (in Quebec - French).

Among Canadian educational institutions there are both public and private ones. The quality of education they provide is about the same. But the content of curricula in a particular province may vary somewhat, because. According to the Canadian constitution, education is the responsibility of local authorities.

Schools. More than 5 million students study in Canadian schools. For foreigners - education is paid. The amount of payment is determined by the educational institution itself. Private schools offer paid programs. The choice of such schools is very large - with separate or joint education for boys and girls, with full board or only daytime education.

There are relatively few private schools in Canada and they have a rather high competition. On average, private boarding schools are better equipped than public ones. Graduates of well-known Canadian private schools easily enter the leading Canadian universities in the UK, USA and Canada.

Children go to first grade at the age of 6. Education in primary and secondary schools is conducted on one of official languages country - English or French. In most provinces, a complete secondary education that opens the way to a university takes 12 years, then those who want to prepare for entering the university study for another 2 years at the preparatory department at the college.

Colleges. There are about 175 public and private colleges in Canada. Approximately 300,000 people study in the vocational education system. The quality of education is monitored by representatives of the ACCC (Association of Canadian Community Colleges).

Canadian colleges are divided into community, technical and already mentioned colleges of the CEGEP system. The main task of colleges is to prepare professional personnel for industry and business. In particular, technical colleges are something like Russian vocational schools, whose students short term get a job. Typically, college students study for two years, and most of the study time is spent not in classrooms, but in laboratories and workshops. At the end of the students are waiting for certificates and professional diplomas.

Many colleges have bachelor's degree programs with universities. Graduates of such a college are enrolled immediately in the second year of the partner university.

Universities. There are no private higher education institutions in Canada (with the exception of a few closed religious universities), all of which are financed by two-thirds from the state budget and public funds. All universities are members of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

Canadian universities are equipped with modern material and technical equipment and have good libraries. Strong point Canadian higher education is a close connection between science and practice. University clinics are considered the best in the country, business schools are actively involved in advising entrepreneurs and taxpayers. According to official statistics, Canadian university science creates 150,000-200,000 jobs in the country every year.

In total, more than 1.5 million students study at Canadian universities, including about 30 thousand foreigners. Students from abroad make up approximately 5% of the total number of students. But among graduates of such educational institutions as Windsor University and New Brunswick University, one in four is a foreigner.

Study in Australia

Australia in recent decades has become one of the leaders in the international educational market. Studying on the "green continent" has many advantages: English as state language, high standard of living, opportunity all year round enjoy all the delights of a warm climate. Therefore, more than 160 thousand students from abroad come to this country every year.

Today in Australia there are about 10 thousand schools, more than 300 public colleges and 40 universities, two of which are private. All educational institutions - both public and private - are under the control of the Ministry of Education, comply with state standards and guarantee the high quality of education.

Schools. Public schools make up 71%, the rest are private. By type, schools are divided into joint, only for boys and only for girls.

The education system varies from state to state. On average, Australian children go to school from the age of 6. Until the age of 12 they study at the first stage, until the age of 16 - at the second stage, until the age of 18 - at the third stage of secondary education. In general, it is designed for 12 years, which is why the Russian certificate of secondary education is not recognized as equivalent to the Australian one.

There are not so many foreign students in Australia - they make up about 5% (about 15 thousand). Boarding schools are the most suitable for children coming to Australia from abroad. The vast majority of foreign students are concentrated in the last two graduating classes. Their goal is to get an Australian Higher School Certificate and go to university on a regular basis.

A foreigner who wants to get an Australian education must provide completed questionnaires, a certificate of grades in a Russian school, and pass an English language test. The most prestigious schools sometimes also require tests in core subjects.

Colleges. Australian colleges provide vocational training in a wide range of areas. Colleges are divided into public and private. State, united in the TAFE (Technical and Further Education) system, are considered more prestigious.

The typical set of college offerings includes a program in business, management, marketing, accounting, information technology, secretarial science, design, tourism and hospitality management. Training has a pronounced practical orientation. In a number of specialties, you can get an internship (most often paid).

Universities. Australian universities are leaders in the Pacific region, their diplomas are recognized all over the world. More than 680 thousand students study at the country's universities. The list of only bachelor's programs includes more than 2000 positions.

For foreign applicants there are preparatory courses (Foundation). They are calculated on average for 24 weeks of training. Successful completion of the Foundation program guarantees a place in the first year.

New Zealand education system

Before 1907 New Zealand remained a British colony, so the English influence is felt here in everything, even in the education system built on the British model.

Foreigners like to study in this country. Every year about 30 thousand students from abroad come here. In New Zealand, they are attracted by safety, a high standard of living and excellent ecology.

Schools. There are about 440 schools in New Zealand, about 20 of which are private. As in many European countries, schools are divided into separate (only for girls or only for boys) and joint type. Most of them are state-owned, therefore, free, but they, as a rule, do not accept foreigners. Along with the state ones, there are private schools - boarding houses, access to which is also open to schoolchildren from abroad. These schools offer foreigners a very good education and basic training, with which you can easily enter best universities English speaking countries.

They usually go to school from the age of 5-6. Education in elementary school lasts 8 years - from the first to the eighth grade. At the age of 13, children move on to one of the secondary schools, sometimes referred to as "colleges" or "high schools". In grades 9-13, children are prepared to enter the university and polytechnic institutes. In the upper grades, students will have to choose 6 major subjects. Full list disciplines has up to 30 positions and is approved by the New Zealand Organization for the Recognition of Qualifications (NZQA).

At the end of grade 11, students who have successfully passed the exams receive a certificate of secondary education. The 12th grade ends with the exams for the Sixth Form Certificate, and at the end of the 13th grade, students take final exams, which are also entrance exams to universities. At these exams - in fact, they are an analogue of the British A-level - knowledge is tested in 4-6 major subjects.

Colleges. Vocational and technical educational institutions - "polytechs" are very popular among the youth of New Zealand. They offer professional qualifications or a bachelor's degree.

The course lasts from six months to two years. Classes are held in small groups. After passing each stage, the student receives the appropriate document: a certificate, a professional diploma or a bachelor's degree (the latter is issued after the completion of a three-year program). The programs are designed in such a way that students, after studying for one year, can immediately go to the second year of the university that has partnerships with the institute.

In addition to traditional programs in hotel management, tourism, information technology, some educational institutions offer less common options. For example, at the Eastern Technological Institute, you can take the course "Viticulture and winemaking."

Universities. The total number of students in New Zealand universities exceeds 110 thousand, 3-10% are foreigners. The first universities in New Zealand emerged about a century and a half ago. The British model was adopted as the basis for their creation.

Since the duration of education in a Russian secondary school does not correspond to that accepted in New Zealand, it is not yet possible to enter a university in this country with a Russian matriculation certificate. As a rule, applicants need to complete one or two courses at a Russian university or study in another city in New Zealand - at the preparatory department or at a vocational school. Another way is to complete a New Zealand high school.

Tuition fees in New Zealand are significantly lower than in Europe and Australia. At the same time, diplomas from New Zealand universities are recognized in most countries of the world (70% of graduates work outside New Zealand). Anyone who likes life in New Zealand has the opportunity, after three years of study, to obtain permission to stay here to work in the acquired specialty for a period of up to two years.

Language classes. In New Zealand, there are both language centers organized at schools and universities, as well as separate private language schools. In New Zealand language schools, English + sports programs have become widespread. The variety of sports that can be practiced in New Zealand all year round is amazing: skiing, scuba diving, climbing, sailing, golf, horse riding.

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Comparative characteristics of education systems in Russia, USA, Germany and Japan.

Any society to ensure progressive development must implement the function of education. To this end, it creates an educational system, i.e. complex of educational institutions.

According to their organizational and legal forms, educational institutions can be:

State,

municipal,

Non-state (private, public and religious organizations).

AT Russia educational institutions include the following types:

preschool;

General education (primary general, basic general,

secondary (complete) general education). The secondary general education school has three levels: 1st level - elementary school (3-4 years); Stage 2 - basic school (5 years); Level 3 - secondary school (2 - 3 years).;

Special (correctional) for children with developmental disabilities; institutions

add. education; institutions for orphans and children left without parental care; other institutions.

AT USA there is no unified state education system, each state has the right to determine its structure independently.

The US education system includes:

Pre-school institutions where children aged 3-5 years are brought up;

Primary school (grades 1-6) for children aged 6-11;

Secondary school (grades 7-12) with the task of teaching boys and girls aged 12-17; educational institutions after the secondary level of education that are part of the higher education system.

Training in Germany starts at age six in a single primary school (grades 1-4) and then continues in one of three types of schools:

Basic school (grades 5-10),

Real school (5-10 or 7-10 grades),

Gymnasium (grades 5-13 or 7-13).

Schooling course in Japan takes 12 years, and half of it falls on primary school (grades 1-6). The secondary school consists of two levels: the compulsory lower secondary school (7-10) and the optional upper secondary school (11-12). Vocational primary and secondary education is given predominantly in secondary general education institutions and partly in special schools.

Preschool educational institutions in Russia(kindergarten, nursery school, gymnasium, children's development center, etc.) are created to help the family to raise children from 1 to 6 years old.

Education and training carried out in preschool educational institutions are the preparatory stage of primary education. Such a characteristic of preschool education can be given not only to Russia, but also to all other countries, significant differences in the principles of education in preschool age in Russia is not observed.

School Germany education starts at the age of 6 and is compulsory for all children. The readiness of the future student is determined not by school commissions, but by doctors and social psychologists.

German elementary schools are organizationally and administratively independent institutions. Their training lasts 4 years. From grade 3, performance is assessed on a 6-point scale. The highest marks "1" and "2" ("very good" and "good"), marks "5" and "6" are considered unsatisfactory.

At the end of elementary school, students receive diplomas with grades in all subjects, characteristics and recommendations for continuing education in one or another type of high school: gymnasium, general education or unified school, real school, basic school. The opinion of parents also plays an important role in choosing a school.

Schooling course in Japan takes 12 years, and half of it falls on primary school due to the exceptional complexity and laboriousness of learning the native language. Primary education in Japan starts at the age of six. In primary

school (grades 1-3), most of the study time is devoted to Japanese and arithmetic. Students must learn 1850 characters - the minimum set

Ministry of Education (but even to read books and newspapers you need to know

much more - up to 3 thousand). Half of this hieroglyphic minimum

should be mastered in elementary grades. Every day after classes in a regular school, children go back to study in a non-mandatory school, but extremely

necessary for the transition to the next level of secondary school and in

university.

Main school Russia lays a solid foundation for the general educational preparation necessary for the graduate to continue his education, his full inclusion in the life of society. Basic school is compulsory. Graduates of the basic school continue their education in the secondary school. They also have the right to continue their education in vocational schools various types and profile with different periods of study, in evening and correspondence secondary schools.

secondary school USA(college of secondary education) usually consists of two units: junior and senior. In the junior high school (junior high school) (grades 7-9), a third of the study time is devoted to a common program for all, and the rest to the study of elective subjects (elective). Senior High School (Grades 10-12) typically offers a required set of five academic subjects and a variety of academic and practical curriculum profiles.

The main way to assess and control knowledge in the American school is tests. Grades are given according to five-point or hundred-point systems: A (93-100) - excellent; D (65-74) - bad; E (0-^64) - does not count. The senior secondary school is a general educational institution. Students usually leave school at the age of 17 or 18.

Germany. On average, about 20% of students admitted to the 5th grade reach the successful completion of the Abitur. Many schoolchildren for whom gymnasium education is beyond their strength or their plans change, finish their studies in grades 10-11 or even earlier move to other types of schools. AT

in a real school and ordinary (non-gymnasium) classes of a general education school, education continues until grade 10, after which students take exams for a diploma of secondary education.

Real and comprehensive schools- the most common types of schools in Germany.

The shortest path to a profession is considered to be the basic school (Haupt-schule), where students study until the 9th or 10th grade. With a Hauptschule certificate, you can subsequently acquire a profession that does not require high qualifications.

In grades 5-8, core subjects for all students

are religion, German, one or two foreign languages, geography, mathematics, biology, music, art, sports, history, physics. In the 9th grade, students may refuse to study some subjects, while taking one or two additional subjects of their choice.

Along with the core subjects, grades for elective subjects are included in the Mittlere Reife Secondary Diploma.

In the gymnasium, starting from the 11th year of study, schoolchildren are already studying completely according to individual plans, and the organization of classes resembles that of a university. There are no classes, only groups that are formed freely. Students draw up a curriculum on their own, but according to certain rules. All subjects are divided into three groups: philological (German and

foreign languages), natural science (mathematics, physics, chemistry,

biology, computer science), social science (history, social science,

geography, religion, ethics or pedagogy). Until the end of schooling, the main subjects remain for all students (German language, mathematics, etc.)

In primary and secondary schools Japan a five-level

rating scale: S (very good), A (good), B (satisfactory), C

(bad), D (very bad). In high school, when assessing knowledge, it is used as

and in American secondary schools, the credit system.

Professional educational institutions in Russia created

for the implementation of professional educational programs of primary, secondary and higher professional education. Primary vocational education can be obtained in vocational and other schools.

Secondary vocational education is aimed at training mid-level specialists, meeting the needs of the individual in deepening and expanding education on the basis of basic general, secondary (complete) general or primary vocational education.

Higher vocational education aims to train and retrain specialists of the appropriate level, meet the needs of the individual in deepening and expanding education on the basis of secondary (complete) general, secondary vocational education. His

can be obtained in educational institutions of higher professional

education (higher educational institutions) - universities, academies,

institutes, colleges. Persons with primary and secondary vocational

education of the relevant profile, can receive higher

vocational education on a reduced, accelerated program.

Postgraduate professional education provides

citizens the opportunity to improve the level of education, scientific and

pedagogical qualification on the basis of higher professional

education. To obtain it, institutes, graduate schools,

doctoral studies, residencies, adjunctures at educational institutions

higher professional education and scientific institutions.

Additional educational programs and services. additional education can be obtained in advanced training institutions, courses, etc.

In many schools USA to obtain the matriculation time,

spent on learning cooking and driving a car is equal to

to the time allotted for the study of mathematics, English, chemistry,

history, biology. In most schools, learning to work independently is ignored, and many, graduating from high school and going to college, do not know how to work independently, systematically mastering knowledge.

The Commission for the Advancement of Education recommended

secondary school graduates in the last four years of schooling

compulsory study of modern achievements of the five "basic disciplines" that make up the core of the modern school curriculum: English, mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, mastering computer literacy.

In addition, students who wish to continue their studies at higher

educational institution must complete a 2-year foreign language course.

Particular attention should be paid to the further development

computer-information base, in particular, computers of the latest generation,

library stock, laboratory equipment, etc.

It should be emphasized that in the United States the professional average level in

education system is not allocated. This level is integrated into the system

higher education. US higher education is characterized by significant

variety of curricula, courses and disciplines studied, representing

is a single social institution that carries out important economic,

social and ideological functions.

In vocational training Germany there is a system of apprenticeships in enterprises with simultaneous attendance at professional educational institutions for two to three years. There are also professional schools of an advanced type - schools of specialties designed for one to four years of study. The following professional organization has been introduced

training: one day - at school, four days at the enterprise.

In secondary vocational education, there has been a shift from narrow specialization to

broad qualifications covering several specialties.

Training is paid for by enterprises at the expense of their own funds and state subsidies.

AT Japan institutions of higher education are

universities, as well as junior and technical colleges. Universities give

First of all, academic education. Junior and technical colleges

Much attention is paid to professional and practical activities.

The considered systems of education in Russia, the USA, Germany and

Japan is certainly similar - the upbringing of a personality, a developed personality. Education in these countries is designed to give children the knowledge, skills and abilities for later life in society.

How the education system works in schools in the USA, South Korea, Finland
USA
The length and age of beginning compulsory education for children in the United States varies by state. Children start school at the age of 5 to 8 and finish at the age of 14 to 18.
At the age of about 5 years, American children go to elementary school, to the zero grade (kindergarten). This kindergarten class is optional in some states - however, almost all American children attend kindergarten. Although kindergarten literally means “kindergarten” in German, kindergartens exist separately in the United States and are literally called “pre-school” (preschool).
Primary School continues until the fifth or sixth grade (depending on the school district), after which the student goes to middle school (middle school), which ends with the eighth grade. High school (high school) - these are classes from the ninth to the twelfth, so usually Americans, like Russians, complete their secondary education at 18 years old.
Those who have completed secondary education can enroll in community colleges (community colleges), also called primary colleges (junior college), technical colleges (technical college) or city colleges (city college), which, after two years of study, issue an associate's degree ) comparable to secondary specialized education. Another option to continue your studies is to go to colleges or universities, where you get, usually in four years, a bachelor's degree. Those with a bachelor's degree can study further to obtain a master's degree (2-3 years) or a PhD (similar to the Russian PhD, 3 years or more). Separately accredited faculties and universities issue the degrees of doctor of medicine and doctor of law, for which special training is also required at the bachelor's level.
Free public schools are run primarily by democratically elected school boards, each of which has jurisdiction over a school district, whose boundaries often coincide with those of a county or city, and which contain one or more schools at each level. School boards set school programs, hire teachers and determine program funding. States regulate education within their borders by setting standards and examining students. State funding for schools is often determined by how much their students have improved on exams.
The money for the schools comes mainly from local (city) property taxes, so the quality of the schools is highly dependent on the price of the houses and how much taxes the parents are willing to pay for. good schools. Often this leads to a vicious circle. In districts where schools have earned a good reputation, parents flock to give their children a good education. Home prices are on the rise, and the combination of money and dedicated parents is taking schools to the next level. The opposite happens at the other end of the spectrum, in the poor areas of the so-called "inner cities".
Some large school districts establish "magnet schools" for especially talented children living in their jurisdiction. Sometimes in the same district there are several such schools, divided by specialty: a technical school, a school for children who have shown talent in the arts, etc.
Approximately 85% of children study in public schools. Most of the rest go to paid private schools, many of which are religious. The most widespread network of Catholic schools, which was initiated by Irish immigrants in the second half of the XIX century. Other private schools, often very expensive and sometimes highly competitive, exist to prepare students for admission to prestigious universities. There are even boarding schools that draw students from all over the country, such as the Phillips Academy at Exeter in New Hampshire. The cost of education in such schools for parents is about 50,000 US dollars per year.
Less than 5% of parents choose to homeschool their children for various reasons. Some religious conservatives do not want their children to be taught ideas they disagree with, most commonly the theory of evolution. Others believe that schools cannot meet the needs of their underachieving or, conversely, brilliant children. Still others want to protect children from drugs and crime, which are a problem in some schools. In many places, parents who teach their children at home form groups in which they help each other, and sometimes even different parents teach children different subjects. Many also supplement their lessons with distance learning programs and classes at local colleges. However, critics of homeschooling argue that homeschooling is often substandard and that children raised in this way do not acquire normal social skills.
Primary schools (elementary schools, grade schools, or grammar schools) usually teach children from the age of five to eleven or twelve. One teacher teaches all subjects, except for visual arts, music and physical education, which take place once or twice a week. Of the academic subjects taught, as a rule, arithmetic (occasionally - elementary algebra), reading and writing, with an emphasis on spelling and increasing vocabulary. The natural and social sciences are taught little and not varied. Often the social sciences take the form of local history.
Often in elementary school, instruction consists of art projects, field trips, and other forms of learning through fun. It came from the current of progressive education in the early 20th century, which taught that students should learn through work and everyday activities and study their consequences.
Middle schools (middle schools, junior high schools, or intermediate schools), as a rule, teach children aged 11 or 12 to 14 - from the sixth or seventh to the eighth grade. Recently, the sixth grade has been increasingly included in secondary school. Usually in secondary school, unlike in elementary school, one teacher teaches one subject. Students are required to take classes in math, English, science, social studies (often including world history), and physical education. Students choose one or two classes themselves, usually in foreign languages, arts and technology.
In secondary school, the division of students into ordinary and advanced streams also begins. Students who perform better than others in a given subject can study in an advanced (“honorary”) class, where they pass the material faster and give more homework. Recently, such classes, especially in the humanities, have been abolished in some places: critics believe that isolating high-performing students does not allow low-performing students to catch up.
Higher (high) school (high school) - the last stage of secondary education in the United States, lasting from ninth to twelfth grade. In high school, students can choose their classes more freely than before and only have to meet the minimum criteria for graduation set by the school board. Typical minimum requirements are:
3 years of natural sciences (year of chemistry, year of biology and year of physics);
3 years of mathematics, up to the second year of algebra (mathematics in secondary and high schools is usually divided into the first year of algebra, geometry, the second year of algebra, introduction to analysis and mathematical analysis, and iterates in that order);
4 years of literature;
2-4 years of social studies, usually including the history and government of the United States;
1-2 years of physical education.
For admission to many universities, a more complete program is required, including 2-4 years of a foreign language.
The remaining classes must be chosen by the students themselves. The set of such classes is very different in quantity and quality, depending on the financial situation of the school and the inclinations of the students. A typical set of optional classes is as follows:
additional sciences (statistics, computer science, environmental science);
foreign languages ​​(most often Spanish, French and German; less often Japanese, Chinese, Latin and Greek);
fine arts (painting, sculpture, photography, cinematography);
game art (theater, orchestra, dance);
computer technology (computer use, computer graphics, web design);
publishing (journalism, yearbook editing);
labor (woodworking, car repair).
In some cases, the student may not study at all in any of the classrooms.
In high school, especially in the last two years, a new type of advanced class is emerging. Students can take classes that should prepare them for the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams. Most universities count a good mark on these exams as an initial course in the relevant subject.
Marks, both at school and in universities, are issued according to the A / B / C / D / F system, where A is the best mark, F is unsatisfactory, and D can be considered satisfactory or unsatisfactory, depending on the circumstances. All marks, except F, may be prefixed with "+" or "-". Some schools do not have A+ and D− grades. From these grades, a grade point average (GPA) is calculated, in which A counts as 4, B counts as 3, and so on. High school grades often go up by a point, meaning A counts as a 5, and so on.

South Korea
Primary school is attended by children between the ages of 8 and 14. The list of subjects studied in primary school includes (but does not exhaust it):
Korean
maths
exact sciences
social sciences
languages
art
music
Usually, all these subjects are taught by one class teacher, although some specialized disciplines may be taught by other teachers (for example, physical education or foreign languages).
Promotion through the levels of the educational system from elementary to high school is not determined by the results of passing various examinations, but solely by the age of the student.
Until the late 1980s, English was usually taught in secondary school, but now it is being taught in the third grade of elementary school. Korean is very different from English in terms of grammar, so mastering English is very difficult, but with relatively little success, which fact is often a topic of thought for parents. Many of them end up sending their children to additional education at private schools called hagwons. More and more schools in the country are beginning to attract foreigners for whom English is their native language.
In addition to public elementary schools, there are a number of private schools in Korea. The curriculum of such schools more or less corresponds to the state, however, it is embodied at a higher level: it is proposed more teachers for a smaller number of students, additional subjects are introduced and higher standards of education are set in general. This explains the natural desire of many parents to arrange their children in such schools, which, however, is stopped by the relatively high cost of education in them: $ 130 per month of classes. This does not compare with the prestigious countries of Europe and the USA, but relative to the income of Koreans, this is very decent money.
Primary schools in Korean are called "chodeung hakkyo", which means "elementary school". The South Korean government changed its name in 1996 from the former "gukmin hakkyo", which translates to "civil school". It was above all a gesture of restoring national pride.
Korean school education is divided into secondary and higher (education in secondary and higher schools, respectively).
High school entrance examinations were abolished in 1968. In the late 1980s, students still had to take entrance exams (but without competing with other candidates), and the result of admission was determined either randomly or by place of residence relative to a particular institution. Schools, whose rank was previously determined by the level of students, were equalized in receiving state support and the number of poor students distributed. However, this reform did not level schools completely. In Seoul, students who did well in the entrance exams were allowed to enter more prestigious schools without being tied to the district, while all the rest entered the school of "their" district. The reforms were equally applied to public and private schools, admission to which was strictly controlled by the Ministry of Education.
Unlike the United States, where the class number usually incrementally increases from 1 to 12, in South Korea, the class number starts counting from one every time you enter elementary, middle, and high schools. To distinguish between them, the class number is usually given along with the level of education. For example, the first grade of middle school would be called "First grade of high school", "chunghakkyo il hakneong".
secondary school
In Korean, middle school is called "chunghakyo", which literally means "high school".
In Korean high school, 3rd grade. Most students enter it at the age of 12 and graduate, respectively, by the age of 15 (by Western standards). These three years correspond approximately to 7-9 grades of the North American and 2 and 4 grades (form) of the British educational systems.
Compared to elementary schools, South Korean high schools place much higher demands on their students. Dress and hairstyles are almost always strictly regulated, as are many other aspects of a student's life. As in elementary school, students spend most days in the same class with their classmates; however, each subject is taught by its own teacher. Teachers move from class to class, and only some of them, excluding those who teach "special" subjects, have their own audience, where the students themselves go. Classroom teachers play a very important role in the lives of students and have significantly more authority than their American counterparts.
Students in secondary school have six lessons a day, usually preceded by a specific block of time in the early morning, and a seventh lesson specific to each major.
Unlike a university, the curriculum does not vary much from one high school to another. The core of the curriculum is formed by:
mathematics
Korean and English
as well as a number of exact sciences.
"Extra" items include:
various arts
Physical Culture
history
hancha (Chinese character)
ethics
running a home economy
computer literacy lessons.
Which subjects and in what quantity are studied by students varies from year to year.
The duration of the training sessions is 45 minutes. Immediately prior to the start of the first lesson, students have about 30 minutes at their disposal, which can be used as desired for self-study, watching programs broadcast by a special educational channel (Educational Broadcast System, EBS) or for personal or class business. In 2008, students attended full-time classes Monday through Friday, as well as half a day every first, third and fifth Saturday of the month. On Saturday, students are engaged in additional activities in any circles.
In the late 1960s, the government ended the practice of high school entrance examinations, replacing them with a system in which students from the same district were admitted to the high school on a random basis. This was done in order to average the level of students in all schools, however, to some extent the difference between rich and poor areas remained. Until recently, most schools were open to one gender only, but recently new high schools are accepting children of both sexes, and the former schools are also becoming mixed.
As in elementary school, students move from class to class regardless of their performance, as a result of which the same subject in the same class can be studied by completely different levels of students. Grades begin to play a very important role in the last year of high school, as they affect the student's chances of getting into a particular university, for those who primarily want to pursue a scientific, rather than a professional technical career. In other cases, grades are needed simply to please parents or teachers (or avoid their righteous wrath). There are several standard forms of examination for certain subjects, and teachers of "scientific" subjects are required to follow the recommended teaching aids However, secondary school teachers generally have more authority over course syllabus and teaching methods than university teachers.
Many high school students also take additional courses after school (hagwon) or study with private tutors. Special attention is paid to English and mathematics. Some of the hagwons specialize in only one subject, while others specialize in all key subjects, which can turn into a second round of school classes with often even more stress on the student immediately after the end of the first (official) In addition, especially persistent attend martial arts clubs or music schools.
They usually return home late in the evening.
A special attitude in Korean schools is to technical support. By 2011, according to the declarations of the Korean government, the country's schools have completely switched from paper textbooks to electronic ones.

Finland
In Finland, every child has the right to pre-primary education, which generally begins one year before the start of compulsory education, that is, the year the child has his or her sixth birthday. Pre-primary education can be obtained in a school or kindergarten, family kindergarten or other suitable place. This is decided by the municipality.
Compulsory education begins in the year when a child turns seven and continues until the age of 16-17. The state guarantees free basic education. This includes education, textbooks, notebooks, basic stationery, school meals are also free.
In the 3rd grade, the study of English begins, in the 4th grade the child chooses an optional foreign language (French, German or Russian). Compulsory Swedish begins in grade 7.
Second step
Oulun Suomalaisen Yhteiskoulun lukio
After receiving basic education, students face a choice:
get a professional education, after which they start working in their specialty. Training takes place in vocational schools (Fin. ammatillinen oppilaitos): in particular, a vocational school (Fin. ammattiopisto), you can also choose to study on a contract basis (Fin. oppisopimuskoulutus).
continue education at the lyceum, where there is a serious preparation for entering a higher school. Students who go to the lyceum must show a sufficiently high degree of preparedness (the average score of the grades received in the basic school will be this definition). In Finland, lyceum graduates are also applicants - they apply to higher education while still being lyceum students.
It is interesting that, as in Russia, in Finland there is a “hidden fee” for some types of secondary education. So, if in a general school textbooks are provided free of charge, then in the gymnasium they need to be bought - this is about 500 euros per year, and the entire amount must be paid immediately. As for private schools, 30-40 thousand euros a year will have to be spent on education there.

Which system is more suitable as a benchmark for Russian secondary education? Irina Abankina, director of the Institute for the Development of Education at the Higher School of Economics (HSE), spoke briefly about this for SP:
- This is a very difficult question. In short - perhaps no system suits us completely. On the one hand, the historical roots of our education system go back to Germany, this is well known. At the same time, in Germany itself, an active reform of the secondary school is now underway. In the UK, their traditional model is now also being changed - Michael Barber is doing this. Despite the fact that these are magnificent and prestigious systems, there are still many questions.
On the other hand, according to the results of international tests - the same PISA - the countries of Southeast Asia have pulled ahead in recent years. Miracles were shown by Shanghai, the vanguard of Chinese education, impressed by Taiwan; earlier, South Korea and Japan rushed forward no less actively.
This means that the Eastern model of education is also worth asking. And this Eastern model, let's face it, is not as pleasant for the observer as the European or American one. These are full-filled classes - up to 40 people! This is a tough discipline, reminiscent of the golden years of the Soviet school. But this is also a factor that was absent in our old school - total tutoring, that is, tutoring. Without individual - paid - classes it is very difficult to prepare a student well there. According to Professor Mark Breir, who works at Shahnai University, the size of the tutoring market in Shanghai reaches 2.5% of GDP. In the budgets of most families, the cost of additional educational services is a significant item.
As for Russia, I repeat, none of the existing systems in the world suits us without adaptation. Building new school for a country, it will be necessary to combine solutions from all over the world.

EDUCATION ABROAD

I. MAYBUROV, Associate Professor Ural State Technical University

The significance of the contribution of higher education to the reform of society is confirmed by world experience. It shows that all countries that have successfully overcome the transition to modern market relations (for example, post-war Germany and Japan, the United States of the 60s) considered the field of higher education as a priority and proceeded from this in their investment policy.

The political elite in these countries formed a kind of cult of education, supported by regular meetings of the heads of state with the best students, graduate students, teachers and presenting them to the public as the “intellectual value of the country”. Currently, the United States has the National Education Goals program, which emphasizes that “education is the main indicator of the quality of life. This is the core of economic power and security, the creative potential of science, culture and art. Education is the key to America's competitiveness in the 21st century world."

The intensified competition of states in the field of higher education is, in fact, economic competition, because education in modern conditions has become the main source of economic growth. According to American scientists who study the problems of the economics of education, the share of the latter accounts for 15-20% of the growth in national income. Except

Higher education in developed countries

In addition, from 20 to 40% of growth comes from the improvement of scientific knowledge and their application - a process in which the leading role belongs to higher educational institutions, and it is there that the vast majority of fundamental research is concentrated in all Western countries.

To understand the nature and driving forces development of higher education in post-industrial countries, it is necessary to consider the general factors of a socio-economic and scientific-technical nature that predetermine its rapid quantitative and qualitative growth. These factors should include:

1. Sustainable development of the economy, the rapid growth of knowledge-intensive industries, which is provided by personnel, half of which are people with higher or special education. This factor mainly determines the pace of development of national systems of higher education.

2. Priority of the state educational policy. A deep understanding by society and the political elite in post-industrial countries that the successful development of higher education is one of the most important factors in improving the national security and welfare of the country, the well-being of every citizen, an effective means of socio-economic, scientific, technical and cultural progress.

3. Intensive growth in the volume of scientific and technical information, which

doubled over the past 7-10 years, rapid technology change and the priority introduction of knowledge-intensive technologies. This factor determines the need for specialists to have the ability to quickly master new technologies, self-education skills and their mandatory involvement in the system of continuous education and advanced training.

4. Constant and sustainable growth of labor productivity in industry and agriculture, leading to a decrease in the proportion of the population engaged in direct material production, and an increase in the number of people engaged in intellectual work and work in the service sector. Today, in developed countries, about 60% of workers are engaged in mental labor in the field of information and services, and only 15-25% in the manufacturing sector. This factor predetermines the need for accelerated development of the university sector of higher education, where the training of the scientific, economic and managerial elite of society is currently concentrated, while the training of specialists for production begins to be carried out mainly by educational institutions of the non-university sector of higher education.

5. An increase in the role and practical significance of scientific research conducted at the intersection of various areas of science, which requires higher education to train specialists in intersectoral, integral and dual specialties, shift the emphasis in teaching students towards increasing the volume of fundamental knowledge and universalization, i.e. expanding the profile of specialist training.

6. Development of powerful external means of programmatic mental activity, leading to automation and increased productivity

mental labor. This factor leads to an increase in demand for specialists capable of creativity, with the skills of independent research, design and inventive activities.

7. Increasing the welfare and monetary incomes of the population, contributing to the growth of effective demand for educational services and the gradual shift in the center of gravity of the investment financial burden from the state to the private sector.

The educational experience of which countries deserves preferential study?

It seems that the answer lies on the surface. We should be interested in any experience that makes it possible, to some extent, to trace the methodology for solving problems that have arisen in the field of higher education in the last 10-15 years. With all its diversity and specificity in different countries - due to the interdependence of nations at the turn of the century and the similarity of the progressive movement of all countries towards the transformation of their economies into a "knowledge economy"

A number of identical problems arise. Ways to solve them are important and instructive for us - both positive and negative, in order to take into account the experience of others and avoid repeating the mistakes of others.

But education systems, unlike the types of economy, are so diverse and specific in different countries of the world that it is an impossible task to consider them, so a reasoned choice is needed: whose experience deserves attention in the first place?

It seems to us that in this regard it is interesting to turn to the education systems of economically developed countries: the USA, Great Britain, France.

tion, Germany, Japan, Canada, Switzerland and Australia.

Let us dwell on some basic patterns of general secondary education in developed countries:

О duration of study in complete secondary school, with rare exceptions, is 12 years;

A complete secondary school is mainly divided into 3 levels: primary, secondary and senior;

O obligatory is education only in secondary school, after which the student chooses a further path of education: academic - for the purpose of entering a university or professional - for secondary specialized education;

O in high school (this is usually grades 10-12) specialized training

With the number of areas of specialization from two to four;

О the number of compulsory academic disciplines in high school is significantly reduced, as a rule, to 58, the study of which is emphasized during the subsequent period of study;

O in some countries, for example, in the UK, France, not all applicants receive a high school diploma (diploma, certificate);

In most countries, enrollment in a university takes place on the basis of a competition of certificates (diplomas, certificates) or on the basis of test results, uniform for the country or individual for universities, based, as a rule, on measuring the level of an applicant's abilities.

USA

In terms of the number of higher educational institutions and the number of students studying in them, the United States undoubtedly ranks first in the world. In 1995, there were 3,501 universities in the United States, including 1,548

state and 1953 non-state.

Having borrowed the European education system at the end of the 19th century, the United States transformed and modernized it and created its own multi-level, predominantly university system of higher education. Schematically, the US education system is shown in Figure 1.

The lowest level of higher education institutions in the United States are two-year colleges, corresponding in level to Russian secondary educational institutions. There are 1382 such colleges, including 958 state and 424 non-state. Two-year colleges are of two types: technical (Technical), the so-called "youth" (Junior Colleges), and more popular community colleges (Community Colleges). Local colleges, unlike technical colleges, not only teach professions, but also offer academic training programs corresponding to the first two courses of the university. Community college graduates who earn an Associate Degree have the opportunity to transfer to a university with credit for college courses based on the accumulation of academic credits.

The average level of higher educational institutions is four-year colleges, the so-called general education colleges, which in general can be equated in status with our institutions. There are 1963 of them, including 496 state and 1467 non-state.

The leading type of higher education institutions are universities, there are 156 of them, including 94 state and 62 non-state. 40-45% of all students study in the university sector of higher education.

The US higher education system, unlike the Russian one, is completely decentralized. An organization similar to the Ministry of Education

Kindergarten

Professional

education

Primary school 6-12 years old grades 1-6

Junior high school 13-15 years old grades 7-9

senior high school

16-18 years old grades 10-12

Colleges: Technical and Local 2 Years Associate Degree

Four-year colleges Bachelor's degree

Universities Bachelor's degree (4 years) Master's degree (+2 years) Doctor's degree (+3 years)

Rice. 1. Diagram of the US education system

there is no institution that develops unified educational programs and standards for universities, that regulates the rules and conditions for admission. All these issues are regulated by the universities themselves, including the criteria for selecting incoming applicants, decisions are made on the allocation of financial assistance to those in need, etc. As a result, there is a very high degree of university autonomy.

In the US, the duration of high school education is 12 years. Schools do not have a unified national curriculum, as a result of which the level of knowledge of graduates from different schools varies greatly. The best knowledge is obtained by graduates of prestigious private boarding schools.

Graduates can apply to universities

complete secondary schools with a high school diploma. Enrollment is based on the results of passing a system of various tests, school grades are taken into account, including GPA (average score in the subjects studied). The recommendations of teachers who personally know the applicant are of great importance. The testing system is quite diverse. So, applicants for a bachelor's program, as a rule, need to pass the TOEFL English language proficiency test with a score of at least 500550 points and the SAT (Standardized Aptitude Test) basic knowledge test in core subjects with a score of at least 700-800 points. Applicants to the master's program must pass the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) test.

Education in American universities is conducted at three main levels: undergraduate, graduate and doctoral studies.

Education at the first stage, culminating in the award of a bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts, BA, Bachelor of Science, BSc), is designed for 4 years and is conducted, as a rule, without focusing on any professional occupation. Usually awarded the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science. Although it is possible to obtain a bachelor's degree with a professional focus.

Education for a bachelor's degree is conducted in three groups of courses: basic courses that provide general education in various subject areas, core courses and elective courses. During the first two years of study, students mainly study basic courses: foreign languages, humanitarian disciplines, natural sciences, etc. During the last two years, students master the main courses, as well as a number of elective courses that supplement or deepen their knowledge of the main courses . For four years of study, a student must master about 30 disciplines and gain a given number of "credits", and sometimes have a grade point average (GPA) of at least a certain value.

An important feature is that when entering a university, a student is enrolled not in a faculty or department, but in a bachelor's program. He will be able to choose his specialty only after the first year of study, when he will gain about 30% of the "credits" due for the diploma, but they will not rush the student with the choice.

Education at the second stage of higher education (Graduate Level), culminating in the award of a master's degree, is designed for an average of 2 years for persons

with a bachelor's degree, and are conducted in programs focused on specialized practical activities in various fields. The master's program is even more individual than the bachelor's program. About half of the time here is also left for elective courses, but already within the framework of this specialty. During the training, a student must study a certain number of disciplines, pass exams, write a dissertation and, as a result, gain a certain number of "credits".

Education at the third (highest) stage, culminating in the award of the highest scientific degree in the United States - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), is designed for an average of 3 years for masters and 5 years for bachelors. Doctoral studies involve a specialized study of the relevant courses with the passing of qualifying exams, independent Scientific research in the chosen field of knowledge, obligatory writing and defense of the dissertation. American universities graduate approximately 38,000 PhDs a year.

characteristic feature The American system of higher education is a gradual transition from the didactic system of the educational process, when the teacher traditionally acts as the main and almost the only source of knowledge, to individualized student learning, when the main emphasis is on inculcating the skills of independent work, self-study, and necessarily with taking into account individual natural abilities. For this, individual curricula, programs for gifted students, the study of elective subjects,

the possibility of studying simultaneously at two faculties or at two universities, the ability to quickly change the profile of education, faculty, university, generous priority governmental support gifted students, not mediocre ones. As a result, in the learning process, the formula that has already become an axiom is realized: "A capable person does his job better than others, a talented person hits the target when others cannot do this, and a brilliant person hits the target when others do not even see this target" .

Quite rationally organized and control of students' knowledge, which is multi-stage and, as a rule, includes:

1) short surveys 4-6 times a semester at seminars;

2) written exams 2-3 times per semester, conducted with streams at lectures;

3) final semester exams.

The grade for the completed course is set, taking into account all forms of intermediate and final control, as a weighted average. This form of knowledge control stimulates the student to rhythmic studies throughout the semester. The American rating scale is built on the principle of our five-point scale. The highest rating is "A", the next positive ratings are "B", "C",<Ю», а непроходной (неудовлетворительной) оценкой является «^». Процент неудовлетворительных оценок достаточно высок. Что касается обязательного посещения лекционных и практических занятий, то этот вопрос решается каждым вузом автономно. Как правило, большинство вузов требуют от студентов обязательного посещения занятий и принимают соответствующие меры к прогульщикам, в то же время ряд вузов практикует и свободное посещение занятий.

Honors degrees are awarded

all universities. In order to receive it, in addition to excellent studies, it is also necessary to study some courses that are specifically announced as courses for diplomas with honors. For example, at the University of Berkeley, in order to obtain an honors degree in physics, one must study a postgraduate course in theoretical physics.

The US faculty structure has four levels. The first level (graduate-assistant) is the position of an instructor, to which university graduates with a master's degree are appointed for a period of one year and with the right of subsequent reassignment. The next level (assistant-professor) is the position of assistant professor, to which persons with a doctoral degree are appointed for a period of three years and with the right to reappointment. The second three-year term for this position is the last one. If the further work of the assistant professor is recognized as unpromising, he is offered to find another job for himself, but if the assistant has proven himself to be a good teacher and active researcher, he is appointed to the next position - associate professor (associate-professor). After approximately ten years of successful service, an associate professor may be promoted to the highest level of the ranks - the position of full professor.

A characteristic feature of the American structure of the teaching staff is the forced stimulation of the intensification of teaching and research activities by limiting the length of stay and the selective selection of teachers at the first two levels and life-long appointments.

employment at the positions of the third and fourth levels, which determines the independence of the life position at the top of the job ladder. In general, the system functions in such a way that the teaching staff is distributed over all four levels, and, consequently, by age absolutely evenly with possible variations of 3-4%.

Higher professional education in the United States is rated as one of the most effective in the world. At the same time, according to a number of indicators (UNESCO data), the education of the United States lags behind the education of France, Germany, Great Britain and Japan. Higher education in the United States, unlike European countries, has a strong market orientation. The problem of state control over the quality of education has not yet been resolved; non-governmental organizations, such as the Accreditation Commission for Colleges and Universities in the USA, are engaged in accreditation of universities.

American universities in the public mind are divided not into private and public, but into prestigious and non-prestigious. The stratification of universities in terms of their degree of prestige is very large: out of 3,501 universities in 1995, only 104 universities were considered elite, i.e. about 3%. The eliteness of the university affects absolutely all aspects of its functioning. Competition in such universities is never less than 10-12 people per place. The cost of studying in them can be several times higher than the cost of passing a similar program in a regular university. They account for the majority of scientific research and doctoral degrees awarded. The level of state funding for educational programs and scientific research is also differentiated depending on the degree of prestige of the university. Diploma received,

for example, at Yale, Harvard or Princeton universities, gives their owner not only a 100% guarantee of further employment and respect in society, but also increased income in the future.

Great Britain

The UK has a reputation for classical university and vocational education that has not undergone radical reform for many centuries. Schematically, the UK education system is shown in Figure 2.

The duration of secondary education, which makes it possible to enter a university, is 13 years.

To obtain a certificate of secondary education GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education), children study for 11 years at school from the age of 5 to 16 years. During the first nine years they study basic general education subjects according to the compulsory unified state program. During the 10-11 years of study, preparation is underway for the GCSE exams in 6-10 subjects. After passing these examinations, the compulsory secondary education program is considered completed.

But this is not enough for admission to a university. The results of passing exams at the GCSE predetermine the possibility of further education. Students who successfully pass the exams receive a certificate of general education at the ordinary level, which allows them to continue free education at a school or college in a two-year A-level program (fully Certificate of General Education Advanced Level), which provides in-depth study of four to six major subjects. And only the successful passing of the A-level exams allows the student to become the owner of a certificate of general education in

elevated level. According to the competition of such certificates, admission to the university takes place. Admission of applications for bachelor's programs to all universities is carried out centrally through the UCAS service (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). By submitting applications to UCAS, applicants are waiting for the decision of universities, because. the centralized admission system allows applying for admission to six universities at the same time. After receiving several positive decisions on the consent of admission, the applicant reports his choice to UCAS, after which he receives a confirmation of admission.

To enter an English university, foreign students, such as Russians or Americans with diplomas of complete secondary education, must first complete a two-year A-level program. Also, on the basis of British colleges and universities, the system of preparatory courses (Foundation) has become widespread, the annual program of which includes an in-depth study of the English language and basic majors.

There are 30 thousand schools in the country, of which 27.5 thousand are public and 2.5 thousand are private. The quality of education in private schools is incomparably higher than in public schools. This is proved by the fact that graduates of private schools make up half of the student body of the elite universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

Secondary and special education English youth receives in colleges of further education (Colleges of Further Education) and collegiate

Kindergarten up to 5 years

Primary School

5-11 years old grades 1-b

Secondary school 12-16 years old grades 7-11 Certificate of secondary education

High school 17-18 years old grades 12-13 Certificate of Advanced General Education

Colleges:

continuing education and sixth grade

Colleges of university and higher education Bachelor's degree (3-4 years)

Polytechnics Bachelor's degree (3-4 years) Master's degree (+1 year)

Universities Bachelor's degree (3-4 years) Master's degree (+1 year) Doctor's degree (+3 years)

Rice. 2. Outline of the UK education system

zhah sixth grade (Colleges of Sixth Form). There are about 550 of them in the UK in total. They are an intermediate step between school and university. These colleges offer vocational training or A-levels.

Higher education institutions in the UK are divided into four types.

1. Colleges of Higher Education, teaching students only under the bachelor's program. Moreover, unlike universities, these universities are highly specialized in such areas as painting, design, music, theater arts, education, etc.

2. Polytechnics (Polytechnics), teaching students across the entire spectrum of engineering specialties.

3. University colleges (University Colleges), offering students various bachelor's programs and being, as a rule, an integral part of universities.

4. Universities, which are centers of academic education and research work. The stratification of universities in terms of their prestige is even more contrasting than in the United States. In the minds of the English public, all universities are divided into four categories, while reflecting a kind of "table of ranks".

Classical (oldest) universities appeared in the Middle Ages and are still legislators and guarantors of the traditions of English higher education. Most prestigious

This is, of course, Oxford and Cambridge.

The so-called "red-brick" universities were founded in the 19th century in London, Manchester and Liverpool.

The so-called "glass" universities that appeared after the Second World War in Nottingham, Keele, Exeter, Sussex, Warwick, Kent, Essex and other cities.

"New" universities, formed from polytechnic institutes by giving in 1992 33 best

to our institutes of the status of universities.

In total, there are more than 170 institutions of higher education in the UK, including 102 universities, the vast majority of which are public.

Education under bachelor's programs (Undergraduate courses) for a bachelor's degree - either ordinary or with honors (BA / BSc with Honors) - is designed for 3-4 years. Degrees in the UK, unlike in a number of other countries, are awarded not by universities, but by a special body - the Council for the Awarding of National Academic Degrees.

Studying at the first academic degree of a bachelor of arts, sciences, engineering, etc. does not have a narrow subject specialization and is conducted in one of the following broad areas of knowledge: humanities, social sciences, natural or applied sciences. Most students study one core subject in their area of ​​expertise and a number of courses in related areas of that subject. There is a wide range of courses for students to choose from. To obtain a bachelor's degree, a student must collect 360 "credits" during the period of study. In British universities, along with traditional teaching methods, such as lectures, seminars, practical and laboratory classes, individual lessons with students are very widely used. The independent work of students is given exceptionally great importance, as a result, the number of classroom lessons is relatively small. As a rule, the one-hour lectures deal only with the key issues of the subject. In the UK, the system of tutor (from English tutor) classes is widespread. In general, these are training sessions,

conducting a lecture or seminar at which the tutor (curator, as a rule, an undergraduate student) deepens the content of the lecture or seminar for junior students. Often in such classes, joint preparation is carried out for the upcoming control events. Unfortunately, in Russian practice, this form of training is almost never used, although English teachers note tutoring as the most effective form of individual work for students.

To obtain a second academic degree (master's degree), you must earn another 180 "credits", study a number of courses with a narrower practical focus, prepare and defend a master's thesis or submit an examination paper. In most universities, applicants for a master's degree do both. Studying for a master's degree usually takes 1, sometimes 1.5 years.

To obtain the next academic degree - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - you must complete the appropriate training program, as a rule, with the completion of a written examination paper and with the obligatory writing and defense of a doctoral dissertation. Both holders of a master's degree can enter doctoral studies, while the duration of study will be 2 years, and holders of a bachelor's degree, in which case they will have to study for a doctorate for 3 years.

The highest academic degree in the UK is the PhD. This degree is awarded to applicants who, as a rule, have a Ph.D. degree from among the teaching staff for a number of published serious scientific works and authority in the scientific community of the country and abroad.

The modern system of education in France, schematically shown in Figure 3, has evolved over the past two centuries and is today considered one of the most advanced in the world. Its most important virtue is the predominance of public schools and the free higher education for all, except for the purely symbolic fee of $150 a year charged by public universities. In private educational institutions, education, of course, is paid. Another important feature is the almost equally high quality of education both in the capital and in the provinces. As a result, there is no official ranking of universities and their significant stratification according to the degree of prestige.

The development of the education system in France is a top priority. About 21% of the state budget is spent annually on education, which is more than on defense and the army. More than half of all civil servants are employed in the French education system. The period of unprecedented investment in French higher education is coming to an end: in more than 8 years, four million square meters of training space worth about 35 billion francs have been put into operation, eight new universities have been opened, and the existing educational and laboratory facilities of universities have been modernized. At present, the program for the creation of a university of the third millennium (u3M) has been approved in France.

The French educational system is characterized by the presence of a pronounced national specificity: its own system of diplomas and academic degrees, a special division into cycles, a special attitude to state diplomas

professional education

Mother school 3-5 years

Primary school 6-11 years old

College (incomplete secondary school) 12-15 years

Compulsory secondary education

Professional Lyceum 1

education - *

16-17 years d 4

Profile training

Lyceum of general education (complete secondary school) 16-18 years old Certificate of Secondary Education (EAC)

Certificate Competition (VAC)

establishments

High schools Universities

1 cycle of study (2 years) Diploma of general or scientific and technical education

2nd cycle of study (+2 years) License diploma (1st year)

Matriz Diploma (2nd year)

3 cycle of study (+1 year) diploma of special higher or advanced education

doctoral studies (+2-4 years) doctoral degree

Rice. 3. Scheme of the education system of France

educational institutions (they are much more prestigious than diplomas from private schools and universities).

The system of secondary education adopted in France differs markedly from the Russian one.

It is divided into three cycles: elementary school (5 years of study), college (4 years) and lyceum (3 years). The first two cycles are mandatory for everyone. The duration of complete secondary education is 12 years. Colleges in their traditional sense - as secondary vocational training

institutions - in France does not exist. Therefore, a French college as a second stage of secondary school is not an analogue of a college in other countries.

The lyceum is the final link in the system of secondary education. There are two main differences between French lyceums and Russian secondary schools: firstly, specialization already begins at this cycle of education, and secondly, very high requirements for obtaining a certificate of secondary education BAC (baccalaurea1). Not all lyceum graduates receive this certificate, but on average only 80%. French lyceums are of two types:

general and vocational education. In vocational training lyceums (analogous to our vocational schools), schoolchildren receive some working specialty in 2-3 years. In the lyceums of general education for 3 years, as a rule, schoolchildren who are going to go on to universities study. Certificate of Secondary Education (EAC) in accordance with the chosen specialization

There are three types: with a specialization in literature (L), natural sciences (S) and economics (ES). A narrower specialization in the natural sciences is also possible: natural sciences and technologies of the service sector (STT), natural sciences and industrial technologies (STI), natural sciences and laboratory technologies (STL), natural and medical and social sciences (SMS).

The demand for higher education in France is constantly growing: if in 1980 the number of university students was 1.2 million, in 1997 - 1.550 million (this was 258 students per 10 thousand population), then by 2001 the student body, according to preliminary estimates has crossed the two-million mark and has a tendency to further increase. The French higher education system has 80 universities (universites) and about 300 higher schools (grandes ecoles). There is no significant difference between universities and higher schools in France; the existing gradation is rather determined by the historically established types of higher educational institutions. The existing differences between universities are determined more by their size: small universities and higher schools, as a rule, do not have a pronounced specialization and are characterized by a predominance of first-cycle students, while large French universities are distinguished by a rather narrow specialization and the dominance of second- and third-cycle students. The prestige of diplomas from such higher schools as the School of Mines, the Royal School of Bridge and Road Construction, the Higher School of Agronomy, etc., is even much higher than diplomas from large universities.

Higher education in France is divided into three cycles (stages), at the end of each of which students

the dent receives an appropriate diploma, while he can continue his education in a completely different university.

The first cycle is the initial stage of higher education, where general scientific training is carried out. It is a two-year course and ends with an examination for a diploma of general (DEUG) or scientific and technical (DEUST) university education. These diplomas, despite the name, are, in the generally accepted sense, rather evidence of passing the initial stage of higher education. Despite this, some students stop at this stage of education, but the vast majority of students who successfully complete this cycle of education continue their education at a higher level.

The second cycle of higher education is designed to prepare students for active professional work. It is also designed for two years, while it consists of two consecutive one-year steps. At the end of the first year and the successful passing of the exams, a licence diploma is issued, and the second year ends with a maitrise diploma.

Education at the licentiate level is of a general fundamental nature without elements of deep specialization or combines a combination of fundamental and professional training with the former prevailing. As a rule, only those holders of licentiate diplomas who choose the prospect of further scientific or teaching activities are enrolled for further education. Education at the level of "matrices" is in the nature of fundamental scientific or scientific and technical training in the chosen specialty. Therefore,

on the training profile when moving from the level of a licensee to the level of "mat-reese" is already difficult. The requirements for obtaining diplomas of a licentiate and "matriz" are the same across the country for all universities and specialties (an analogue of our state educational standards) - compulsory study of disciplines according to the established list with an annual volume of 350 to 550 academic hours with examinations on them at the end of the year.

The third cycle of higher education involves an in-depth study of the chosen specialty and is accompanied by a mandatory research work, the topic of which the holders of "matriz" diplomas in the relevant specialty are required to formulate even before entering the last cycle of study. Education during the year ends with a diploma of special higher education (DESS) in case of choosing a program of specialization or a diploma of advanced education (DEA) if the program was of a research nature.

Thus, a total of five years of study is required to complete all three cycles of higher education.

The highest scientific degree in France is the doctorate. As a rule, university graduates with a diploma of in-depth education are admitted to doctoral studies with a duration of study from 2 to 4 years. In the process

All doctoral studies are required to pass theoretical examinations in the specialty, conduct scientific research on the chosen topic, submit and defend a dissertation.

Literature

1. Vulfson B.L. Strategy for the development of education in the West on the threshold of the XXI century.- M., 1999.- P.34.

2. Analysis and diagnosis of the state of higher

school and scientific and technological security in the territories of the Ural Federal District / Ed. S.S. Naboychenko, A.D. Vyvarts, I.A. Maiburova. - Ekaterinburg, 2002.

3. Ryabov L.P. Analysis of positive changes

ny and innovative processes in the systems of higher professional education of developed countries: USA, Japan, Germany, France, Great Britain. - M., 2001.

4. Martsinovsky I. Key problems

education in the context of the intellectual potential of the future: a comparative - pedagogical aspect // Alma Mater. - 2001. - No. 7. - P. 41-44.

5. Zhukov V.I. Higher School of Russia: history

chesky and modern plots. - M., 2000.

6. Mini guide to learning by hand

running // Special issue “Education without borders. Study IN. - 2002.

7. Eland R. Supranational organizations

and transnational education // Higher education in Europe. - 2000. - No. 3. http://www.aha.ru/~moscow64/ educational-book

8. Higher education in Russia: Stat. Sat.-

On the eve of the new academic year, Izvestia studied the education systems in Europe, the USA and Asia, comparing them in a number of ways - from the duration of study to the subjects that are included in the program.

Where summer holidays last no more than 10 days, why students in Italy are forced to change schools, and what distinguishes prestigious British education - in a special article by September 1.

Europe

Photo: Global Look Press/ZB/Patrick Pleul

Age

In most cases, children here go to school earlier than in Russia: European first-graders are usually six years old. In Italy, parents can decide when to send their child to school - teachers are required by law to accept even five-year-olds.

Class schedule

Schoolchildren in Europe study longer than in Russia: sometimes they stay at school for eight hours. However, this time includes an hour break for lunch, walks on the street, excursions, games, sports. In addition, they are not given voluminous homework assignments.

Items

Most often, more complex subjects - for example, mathematics or the native language - are put on the schedule for the first half of the day, especially in the lower grades. The standard set - mathematics, languages, exact sciences, history and social studies - is present everywhere, but the accents are placed in different ways. For example, in Italy it is believed that literature is too difficult a subject for 13-14-year-old students, so very few hours are allotted to it in the program.

Beginning of the year

In most European countries, the school year starts at the beginning of autumn, and the exact date may vary depending on the characteristics of the region - in hot areas, for example, students may be given an extra week of rest in the fall to make up for it in the winter.

Photo: Global Look Press/Matarazzo/Photogramma/Ropi

Grading system

Throughout Europe, the grading system is different, but everywhere the scale has more than Russian five points. In France, the work of students is evaluated according to a 20-point system. In Italy - by 10 points when it comes to each individual subject. At the final exams, a 100-point system is introduced, and the student is also awarded points for additional activity: sports success, performance at competitions. Therefore, an excellent student who is actively involved in sports or other extracurricular activities may end up with a mark of 110 points. Germany is closest to the Russian system - there a student can get from 1 to 6 points.

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In most European countries, schoolchildren study for 13 years, while compulsory education is designed for 10 years - followed by college or targeted preparation for entering the university.

So, for example, the system works in Italy or France: children go to primary school at an early age - at five or six years old. This is followed by high school, and most often the transition is accompanied by a change of class. In Italy, this is generally a prerequisite - primary schools there are in no way connected with secondary schools, and children, having studied in the lower grades, change their educational institution. It is believed that in this way they learn to better adapt to changing life circumstances.

After graduating from high school in Italy and France, those who wish can enter the lyceum, but from that moment on, education becomes paid. The choice of a lyceum - creative, humanitarian, natural science or with an emphasis on vocational education - depends on the student's plans for the future. In Italy, teenagers will decide their future plans at the age of 14-15.

In Germany, schooling lasts the same as in France and Italy, but the separation here occurs even earlier. After graduating from primary school, children who are less inclined to study are sent to a five-year education - after which they can receive professional specialties that do not require high qualifications. More capable students take a six-year course in a real gymnasium, after which they can additionally complete the 11th and 12th grades of the gymnasium. The 13th grade is considered very difficult and is needed only for those who plan to enter the university.

Great Britain

Age

British children start school at age five, however this is a preparatory school where the focus is on play and socialization. In the primary school itself (primary school), the main subjects appear in the program. The emphasis at this time is on project work to help children make friends.

Class schedule

The time that a student spends at school can vary depending on the institution - it also depends on whether he studies in a boarding school or in a regular school, and whether it is private (which is very common in the UK) or public. Lessons start at 8:30 or 9 o'clock, there is an hour break for lunch. And after classes, in most cases, children are waiting for extracurricular activities - for example, sports or work on joint projects.

Beginning of the school year

Usually students go to school in early autumn, but the date may vary depending on the educational institution - sometimes, for example, lessons start even before September 1st. The school year is divided into three semesters - in summer, schoolchildren rest for six weeks, in winter and spring - for 2-3 weeks.

Items

The main subjects - mathematics, natural science, sports, language - appear in the program even in elementary school. French is the most commonly used second language in the UK. Closer to the senior classes, students get the opportunity to choose some of the subjects depending on their plans for the future and thus create an individual schedule for themselves - as a result, the composition of the class often changes from lesson to lesson.

Grading system

Estimates in the UK are put on a 100-point scale. At the same time, there is a special classification that allows you to correlate the number of points received with the level of the student. Scores from 70 points and above are equated to the domestic five, from 60 to 69 points to the four with a plus, from 50 to 59 points to the four, from 40 to 49 to the three, from 30 to 39 points to the two with a plus, and that's it. below 30 is an absolute failure.

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Due to the prestige of its education, England stands apart from a number of European countries, although the basic principles here are very similar to the pan-European ones. Education is divided into three stages: primary and secondary schools, as well as the most difficult, pre-university years.

Much attention, especially in primary school, where children stay until the age of 11-12, is given to the socialization of students and sports.

In the UK, more than in other countries, boarding houses are common, in which students study and live throughout the week. In addition, separate education for boys and girls is popular in the country - it is assumed that in this way it is possible to achieve greater equality: children have to fulfill all the duties, and not divide them according to gender, and there are no difficulties in classes due to the fact that girls in this age are often more assiduous and receptive to knowledge than boys.

USA

Photo: Global Look Press/ZUMA/Alex Garcia

Age

Americans begin to study at the age of six, but in the primary grades the set of subjects is limited - children learn to write, read, study arithmetic. Most often, students in classes are distributed according to the level of knowledge - based on the results of the tests that they pass at the very beginning.

Class schedule

Pupils are at school for seven hours - on average, lessons last from 08:30 to 15:30. The entire academic year is designed for 180 days and is divided not into quarters, but into semesters. The remaining 185 days fall on weekends and holidays - there is no single system here, they are determined separately in each state and each school.

Beginning of the school year

As in Europe, the US school year begins in late August/early September, and the exact date may vary from state to state.

Items

As in the UK, American students can make their own program, choosing subjects that suit their future goals, abilities or interests: in junior high school this is usually no more than five subjects, in high school you can already choose most of the subjects to study on your own. The compulsory ones for all include mathematics, natural sciences, English and an analogue of domestic social science. For each subject, a certain number of “credits” is assigned - the student must draw up the program himself in such a way that at the end of the semester in total he has the required number of these points.

Grading system

Grades are given in letters, there are five of them - A, B, C, D, E. However, they are still calculated according to a 100-point system. So, A - an analogue of our five - is set for 93 points or more, and less than 63 points is already E, the lowest possible rating. At the same time, school grades in the United States are not disclosed to anyone except the student and his parents.

Photo: Global Look Press/ZUMA/Sandy Huffaker

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American children go to school from the age of six and study until about 17: the school system includes 12 grades. Children begin to prepare for school in the older groups of the kindergarten or in the preparatory school, where they enter at the age of five.

Education in elementary school is designed for 6-7 years, depending on the educational institution, after which children move on to secondary school, where they remain until the ninth grade. Secondary schools may be multidisciplinary, academic or vocational. This is followed by the so-called senior secondary school - grades 10-12, but they are primarily attended by those who would like to enter the university after their studies.

Formally, school education is public, but the authorities of individual states can make their own changes to the general system - therefore, the life of schoolchildren may differ from state to state.

Asia

Photo: Global Look Press/DanitaDelimont.com

Age

The Japanese and Chinese begin to study at the age of six, not counting the kindergarten and preparatory groups, the programs of which are much richer than in Europe.

Class schedule

In China, school starts at 8-9 am, but it is assumed that by this time the student has already devoted at least an hour to self-study. Lessons end at about 4, after which the child spends a few more hours in additional classes and, if he has enough strength, devotes some time to independent study in the evening. The weekend schedule is not much different from weekdays.

In Japan, the schedule for children is about the same - classes last from 8 am to 6 pm, while, as in Europe, they have an hour break in the middle of the day. In the evening, children go to tutors or study at home on their own. And vacations are used as a chance to improve knowledge in individual subjects.

Beginning of the school year

In Japan, the school year begins in April and is associated with the beginning of a new cycle in nature. In China, it is tied to the global system - students go to school on September 1st. The study is divided into six months - the second begins on March 1, and summer holidays often last no more than 10 days.

Photo: Global Look Press/ZUMA/Zhao Yuguo

Items

Most of the time at school is spent on the native language and mathematics, followed by generally accepted subjects - history, natural sciences, social studies. It is mandatory to study a foreign language, most often English.

In Japan, at the same time, schoolchildren study not only modern Japanese, but also ancient and medieval. As a bonus, most schools have good sports grounds and music rooms equipped with a variety of modern instruments.

Grading system

In Japan, as in the United States, grades are given by letters - five letters in total, from A to E - each letter corresponds to a certain result on a 100-point system. China also has an alphabetical grading system.

However, the highest point of tension and the most important assessment for Chinese and Japanese schoolchildren are the results in the final exams and entrance exams to universities. China's national gaokao entrance exam, for example, lasts for three days and is a real test of strength. The final exams are no less stressful for the Japanese - their results are published on special scoreboards, in front of which applicants gather.

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In the East, and primarily in China and Japan, the school system differs from the European and American in its demands on students. If in the West the emphasis is on the social adaptation of children, their individual development and sports, then in Japan, for example, children begin to learn arithmetic in kindergarten.

There they also learn self-government, when four-year-olds are appointed in turn to be senior duty officers in the group.

In both China and Japan, vacation time for children is extremely limited, and most of their free time, even on school days, they spend on self-study, trips to tutors and in special out-of-school study groups. The same applies to short vacations, during which they use their free time to complete more additional tasks and further improve their level of knowledge.

As in other countries, school education here is divided into three stages: primary, secondary and graduation, in total it consists of 12 classes, and nine are compulsory. Moreover, parents have to pay for education in grades 10-12.

Latin America

Photo: Global Look Press/ZB/Peter Zimmermann

Age

Primary education in Argentina is compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 12. A similar system operates in Cuba, where every child between the ages of 6 and 11 is required to complete a basic school course. In Brazil, primary education lasts 8 years, while in Argentina and Cuba it lasts 6 years, excluding preschool. As for secondary education, in Cuba it is divided into basic secondary lasting 4 years and complete secondary lasting 2 years. At the same time, in Brazil, secondary education can be obtained in 3 years, and in Argentina - in 5-6 years. In Mexico, children enter first grade at the age of 6. After 6 years they go to junior high school. After studying for another two years, students decide whether to continue their studies or go to work.

Class schedule

In Argentinean schools, there is a regular five-day period. In elementary school, classes usually start at 8:30, while in middle school, the first lesson may start an hour earlier, at 7:30. Morning training lasts there, as a rule, until 13:00, and evening - from 13:00 to 17:00. With a difference of half an hour to an hour, studies begin in most other countries of Latin America. The academic year there lasts an average of 180 to 190 academic days.

Beginning of the school year

Since winter in Latin America begins at a time when it is summer in Russia, the start of the school year falls on other months. For example, Brazilians, Argentines and Costa Ricans go to school in the first week of February. And in Chile and Uruguay, students go to school in March. The exception is Mexico. There, the academic year begins in September and lasts until June 30, with holidays in December and April.

Items

Education in Cuba consists of several levels. From the first to the fifth, children study mathematics, computer science, natural history, receive artistic education and attend physical education classes. At the sixth step, several more subjects are added: English, Cuban history, Cuban geography and labor education. It is also worth noting that earlier in Cuba, from 30 to 45 people studied in one class, but after the modernization of the education system, the number of students in one group decreased to 15 people.

In Argentina, for example, bilingual schools are popular. There, the school day consists of two shifts, while the second shift takes place in a foreign language. In ordinary schools in Argentina, the second language is taught from the fourth grade. In addition to English, children can also choose French and Italian. Particular attention is paid to musical and theatrical education. Students have the right to choose a direction in education, one of which is devoted to art. Among the most popular clubs are gymnastics, choir and dance.

In addition, the literary program of Latin American countries attracts attention. The works that are studied in Russia in higher educational institutions are included in the compulsory school curriculum in Colombia. You can't go to university there without reading "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, "Playing the Classics" by Julio Cortazar, the poetry of Pablo Neruda, "Humble Hero" by Mario Vargas Llosa and other works by the masters of "magical realism".

Photo: Global Look Press/imagebroker.com/Egon Bömsch

Grading system

Estimates are put on a 10-point scale. At the end of each trimester, students receive a score, which is calculated from the results of intermediate tests. A passing mark is 7. But even if the student does not pass all the subjects, he can continue his studies. However, he will not receive a certificate of completion of high school until he closes the debt.

Some schools have a 5-point grading scale. Such institutions are found in Colombia. According to the local scoring system, 0 to 2.9 is unsatisfactory, 3.0 to 3.4 is acceptable, 3.5 to 3.9 is good, and 4.0 to 5.0 is excellent.

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In recent decades, the level of education in Latin America has risen sharply. Against the general background, Cuba stands out in particular. Back in the mid-1950s, about 1 million children were not in school at all. Now Cuba spends on public education, according to some reports, 10% of the budget, ahead of both the United States and Great Britain in this indicator.

Nevertheless, the palm for the quality of higher education belongs to Brazil. According to the ranking of the best universities in Latin America, the first place is occupied by the University of Sao Paulo, and the second line is the State University of Campinas, which is also located in Brazil. The top three is closed by the Catholic University of Chile.

At the same time, the focus of training, depending on the countries, varies greatly. In Brazil, about 60% of universities are liberal arts. At the same time, applicants' interest in nuclear energy is growing in Argentina, although medicine continues to be the leading field of science there.

In addition, most universities in Latin America provide free education. The only exception is Chile: there the state pays only primary education, while the cost of education in Chilean universities is second only to the United States in terms of value.