Education in Ukraine

Present day independent Ukraine has a well-developed system of education which matches the standards of the developed countries. Pre-school education is not compulsory and is fee-paying. Most parents take their children to nursery schools or kindergartens at the age of 3. Up to the age of 5 children mostly eat, sleep and play there, but in senior groups they are taught the basics of arithmetic, reading, writing, arts and in some schools foreign languages.

Compulsory secondary education begins at the age of 6-7 and is free in state schools and fee-paying in private ones. Some schools, especially those with language slant, have preparatory classes. Secondary education includes three stages: primary (1st- 3d grades), basic (4th-9th grades) and senior (10th -11th grades). In regular secondary schools children start learning foreign languages from the 5th grade and have fewer lessons of language a week than specialized language schools that start teaching languages from the 1st grade. Recently new types of schools have appeared: gymnasiums and lyceums. In addition, there are schools with technical, computer, mathematical, law, pedagogical and art slant. All the subjects in the secondary schools are obligatory but there are optional courses that students of senior grades can take in addition to the required ones.

Extra-curricular activities usually include a variety of sports and drama clubs, interest groups and various school parties.

Those senior students, who want to get qualification alongside the secondary education, can go to vocational training schools. Post-secondary education is provided by technical schools and colleges of 1st and 2nd Level of Accreditation that train young specialists in different trades.

Institutions of higher learning (higher educational establishments) include universities, academies institutes and conservatories. They all hold entrance examinations to select the best applicants to be their students. Among the best known higher educational establishments there are Shevchenko Kyiv National University, Kyiv Polytechnic University, International Independent University "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy", Kyiv State Conservatory, Lviv State University, Kharkiv National University, Kharkiv State Pedagogical University, Kharkiv State Polytechnic University and many others.

Post graduate education begins after the last year of studies and usually results in theses on the chosen scientific topic and the degree of the Candidate of Science. Doctorate Degree is awarded for an outstanding scientific research.

Active vocabulary

Pre-school education - дошкільна освіта

compulsory - обов’язковий

fee-paying – платний

nursery schools – дитячі садки

secondary education – середня освіта

basic- основний

senior – старший

obligatory – обов’язковий

grade - клас

lyceums - ліцеї

slant - нахил

optional courses- факультативні курси

extra-curricular activities – позакласні заходи

vocational training schools – професійно-технічні училища

post-secondary education – вища освіта

applicants – кандидати, заявники

Candidate Degree – ступінь кандидата наук

Doctorate Degree – ступінь доктора наук

post- graduate education – післядипломна освіта

awarded for – присуджувати за,нагороджувати

outstanding - видатний

scientific research – наукове дослідження