I think that education is a key to a good future.
Russia has always shown a great concern for education. The right to education is stated in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It is ensured by compulsory secon-dary schools, vocational schools, and higher education establishments. It is also ensured by the development of extramural and evening courses.
Russian children begin to go to school when they are 7. Education is compulsory up to the 9th form inclusive. If a pupil of secondary school wishes to go on Higher educa-tion, he or she must stay at school for two more years. Every school has a number of general subjects such as Russian, Literature, Mathematics, History, a foreign language and others. Some private schools, Lyceums and gymnasiums offer special programs giving a profound knowledge in some fields of study.
After finishing the 9th form one can go on to a vocational school which offers a programme of training in a technical field, or a profession.
After finishing the 11th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or a gymnasium one can go on in higher educa-tion. All applicants must take competitive examinations. Higher education establishments, which are institutes or universities, offer 5-year programme of academic subjects for undergraduates in a variety of fields, as well as a graduate course. If one finishes a graduate course and writes a thesis, he or she receives a candidate's or a doctoral degree.
The system of secondary and higher education in Russia is going through a transitional period. The main objectives of the reform are: to decentralize the higher education system, to develop a new financial mechanism, to give more academic freedoms to faculties and students. All secondary schools, institutes and universities until recently have been funded by the state. Now there is a number of private fee-paying schools and some universities have fee-paying departments.
Today Russian education is one of the best in the world. But I think that if our educational system wouldn't be changed in the nearest future we will lose this place.


LI 3.9.25