Ukraine's system of basic education

In Ukraine a school of the second level is called "basic school" and is a final level of the formal basic education. As it is known, in other countries it has different names - "low secondary school", "grammar school ", "college" and others.

This level is an important link in the continuous education system both in Ukraine and in the democratic countries of Europe and America. It is compulsory, free and aims to give further education, and also an basic vocational orientation to a child.

Duration of schooling at the basic school in Ukraine is five years, and therefore the total duration of formal basic education is eight years, if a pupil completed the course of the three-year elementary school, or nine years in the case of a four-year elementary school. The minimal age of the formal basic education completion is 14 years, maximal - 16 years.

All these variants correspond to the provisions of the educational Laws in Ukraine. The realization of one of them depends on the initial level of the child development before the beginning of the primary education, desire of his parents and school achievements of a child. The majority of pupils in Ukraine graduate the basic school in the age of 15.

Education, received at the basic school, has in Ukraine the official name "basic general secondary education ". This term might be translated in English as "formal basic education ", but in fact it is incomplete secondary education.

Certificate about successful completion of the basic school gives to the 14-15 year old teenagers the right to continue schooling both at the upper secondary school and at the higher education institutions of the I-II accreditation levels.

Both laws emphasize, that this link is an integral part of the network of general educational institutions in Ukraine, which is created for provision to children of general secondary education (or formal basic education).

The Law of Ukraine "On General Secondary Education" envisages significant changes in the structure of secondary education. It determines a new duration of schooling at the basic school - five years with 190 school days a year (not taking into account the time on tests and final examinations, duration of which can not be more than three weeks).

At the same time the two mentioned Laws do not specify the structure and contents of education - the structure of the course of study and the choice of a complex of subjects, the amount of weekly class lessons for each of them and so forth. Such problems are solved at the Ministry of Education level, which annually in spring issues Regulations concerning curricula for the next year in accordance with the Law on Education.

QUESTIONS:

1. What main features of the second level of education can you mention?

2. What is the duration of schooling at the basic school in Ukraine?

3. What opportunity does the certificate about the successful completion of the basic school give to teenagers?

4. What do two mentioned laws determine?

5. What are the drawbacks of two mentioned laws?

Unit 7.

TASK 1: Read and translate the text:

THE BRITISH EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

WORD LIST:

private education - приватна освіта

primary education -початкова освіта

free education - безкоштовна ocвіта

Local Education Authorities- Micцеві органи освіти

comprehensive school - загальноосвітня школа

grammar school - граматична школа

secondary modern school - середня сучасна школа

preparatory school -підготовча школа

public school- закрита середня школа

Master- магістр

In Great Britain the system of public education is complicated. School education is provided by the Local Education Authorities. It is financed partly by the Government and partly by local rates. Education planning and organization are not controlled as much by central government as in many other countries. Education is provided in three successive stages: primary, secondary and further.

Primary education (5 to 11 years). Children do not have to go to school until they reach the age of five, but there is some free nursery school education before that age. However there aren't enough nursery-school places for all who would like them and these places are usually given to families in special circumstances, for example families with one parent only. Nursery school is the first stage of primary education, which covers also infant school (age 5 to 7) and junior school (age 7 to 11). Compulsory education begins at five when children go to infant schools. At seven they go to junior school. And it is assumed that by this time they will be able to read, write and do simple addition and subtraction of numbers.

Secondary education (11 to 16/18 years). Free secondary education is available to all children in Britain. Children must go to school until the age of 16 but they may stay on for one or two years more if the wish. Secondary schools are usually much larger than primary schools and most children go to a comprehensive school at the age of 11. These schools are not selective, you don't have to pass an exam to go there. Comprehensive schools were introduced by the Labour Government about 30 years ago to offer suitable courses for pupils of all abilities. Before that time, all children took an exam at the age of 11 called the "11+". Those who were successful (20 per cent) were chosen to go to the academic grammar schools, those who failed went to secondary modern schools. Comprehensive schools want to develop the talents of each individual child. So they offer a wide choice of subjects from art to domestic science to the sciences, modern languages, computer studies, etc. All these subjects are enjoyed by both girls and boys.

Private education (5 to 18 years). Some parents choose to pay for private education in spite of the existence of free state education. The preparatory schools are for pupils aged up to 13, and the public schools are for 13 to 18 year-olds. These schools are very expensive and only about 5 per cent of children attend them.

Higher education. There are 46 universities in Britain. But not all universities are equal. They differ from one another in history, tradition, academe organization. Oxford and Сambridge are the oldest and most famous universities. A university usually consists of colleges. The departments of the colleges are organized into faculties. Universities teach in all major subject areas: arts, science, law, engineering, medicine, and social sciences. After three years of study a university graduate will leave with the Degree of Bachelor of Arts or Science. He can continue to take his Master's Degree and then the Doctor's Degree.

TASK 2: Suggest Ukrainian equivalents:

Education planning and organization, infant and junior school, a wide choice of subjects, free state education, to pass an exam, to fail an exam, modern school, departments of the colleges, to attend school, major subject areas, a university graduate.

TASK 3: Say whether the following statements are true or false:

1. In Great Britain school education is provided by the Ministry of Education.

2. Education planning and organization are not controlled by central government.

3. Nursery school is the first stage of primary education, which covers also infant school and junior school.

4. When children go to junior school they are not supposed to be able to read, write and do simple addition and subtraction of numbers.

5. Free secondary education in Britain is available to children of families in special circumstances.

6. You have to pass an exam in order to get into comprehensive school.

7. The main aim of comprehensive school is to develop the talents of each individual child.

8. Schools of private education are not very expensive.

9. The departments of the colleges are organized into faculties.

10. A post graduate can continue to take his Master's Degree and then the Doctor's Degree.

TASK 4: Choose the correct variant and fill in the gaps:

Fill in the gaps.

1. School education is provided ________the Local Education Authorities.

a) by b) with c) from d) on

2. Education planning and organization are not controlled as much by____________ government as in many other countries.

a) local b) domestic c) central d) general

3. Nursery school is the first stage of _____________education.

a) secondary b) junior c) infant d) primary

4. Free secondary education is ____________to all children in Britain.

a) available b) essential c) substantial d) necessary

5.Comprehensive schools were_________ by the Labour Government about 30 years ago.

a) introduced b) opened c) closed d) acquainted

6. Private schools are very_______ and only about 5 per cent of children __________them.

A) dear; go b) expensive; attend c) expensive; go d) cheap; attend

7. All universities ________ from one another in history, tradition, academe organization.

a) equal b) definite c) alike d) differ

8. Oxford and Cambridge are_________ and most famous universities.

a) the youngest b) the oldest c) the old d) the young

9. The departments of the colleges are organized into_________.

a) specialties b) branches c) faculties d) specializations

10. Universities teach all ________________subject areas.

a) major b) minor c) basic d) main

TASK 5: Translate into English:

1. Система закритої середньої школи в Британії складна.

2. Шкільна освіта забезпечується місцевими органами освіти та фінансується частково урядом та частково місцевими органами.

3. Середні школи більші за початкові школи і більшість дітей йдуть до загальноосвітньої школи у віці 11 років.

4. Деякі батьки сплачують за отримання приватної освіти, не дивлячись на існування безкоштовної державної освіти.

5. Оксфорд та Кембридж -найстаріші та найвідоміші університети.

TASK 6: Read and translate with the dictionary additional texts and answer the questions: