Russian School
Uno studente russo racconta l'organizzazione scolastica del suo Paese

di Grigory Peter Amirjanov

School is the first step of the educational process in Russia. Any child have to visit school from the age of 6 or 7 (from six to seven there is a special year for preparing the victim to school). If the parents consider that their child can attend school from the age of 6 then that unfortunate will have to attend school for 11 years, if parents show their humanism then that lucky one will have to study for 10 years. Talented children have an opportunity to go not to the 1st form, but start their sufferings from the 2nd or 3d year of education.
Some human creatures leave school after the 9th form with a certificate about "uncompleted medium education" and they can try to find work or to continue education at different proffesional schools. (After which they'll become workers on the factory or somewhere else). For others, finally, after 11th form, school gives a document about the medium education, which is free and guaranteed by the state. All education of a person at school can be approximatly subdevided into three parts.
The first part is elementary school which lasts for three years and after which it is considered that a child has the basic education. During that course of years children learn reading, arithmetics, writing, nuture studying, handy craft, painting, music and physical training. Recently one more subject appeared - basical survival which tells, for example, how to survive after nuclear attack (right variant: to wear white clothes and slowly go to graveyard... You may ask: why do we need to go slowly? The correct answer tells that we must avoid panic).
The second level of school education lasts from the 4th till the 9th form. During that period the teenagers have to study lots of different subjects and the quantity of lessons per day can grow up to 8. (That means that you must be school at 8:30, at 15:20 you'll be free and you'll have only to spend two or three hours for making different home tasks). During that time chemistry, physics, history, russian, geography, computer programming,literature, foreign language, physical training , mathematics, geometry, biology, some years technical drawing are studied. All these subjects are obligatory. After that, in the end of the 9th form the pupils burdened with knowledge have to pass 4 exams.
The third stage is the last. It takes the period from 9th till 11th form. The subjects taken during that torture are the same as during the second step. Only social science sometimes added. The quantity of lessons per day usually is less than before - 6. But that means nothing because if a person wants to continue the education in university then that person have to study himself a lot. That is because the level of knowlege needed to pass the exams to the university successfuly and to become a student is much higher then the one given by the school. (By the way, in Russia the highest mark is 5 (no mistakes) and the lowest is 2 (as it is said: two wrongs can't make right, but three lefts can). The last year of school can be called a real hell, because noone has free time during that.
There is not enough time for school also because all time taken away by preparations for the exams to the university.
In the end of the school the last step is the 6 exams which are rather easy. After them the doomed must pass terrible exams to university. After them loosers will have to go to russian army and they can repeat their attempt after 2 years (if they'll stay alive of course). It is rather often that the contest in the state university (without payment) is ten and more people per one place. There is also one way to avoid exams - to pay money for education (but the price is very high).
Nowadays private schools and universities begin their existance in Russia. They give alternative education which can be better than that which is given by state. For example - more different foregn languages. Also I must tell you about special schools (they also belong to state and there is no payment for education) which gives some special knowledge (for example one of english, french, german, italian, spanish languages or may be mathematics or physics, biology, chemistry etc (For example, I am studying at the 11th form of the school with the broaden level of studying english. That means that I started my studyings of english language from the 2nd form and during all this time I have 5 lessons of english language per week).
After all I forgot to say about pretty democratic situation at schools. When teacher enters the classroom pupils have to stop talking and to stand up they can sit down only when teacher allows. During the lesson pupilps must look only at the blackboard and listen. They could speak only when it is allowed. (In soviet times there was a special uniform - a hybrid between soldiers' and prisoners' clothes.) The freedom of speech allowed only for teacher. (I hate all these rules by all my soul).
Finally I want to say that it is considered that the years killed at school are the happiest in human life. Just imagine what will be in future if this is the happiest time in life...
But as it is said: "...It is the first day of the rest of your life, enjoy it!.."

P.S. "...We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control. No dark sarcasm in the
classroom Teachers, leave the kids alone! Hey, teacher,
leave the kids alone! All in all it's just another brick
in the wall, All in all you're just another brick in the
wall..."