Education in Ukraine

40

Read the textand give the English equivalents to the Ukrainian words and phrases:

молодша школа, школа-інтернат, дошкільна освіта, загальноосвітні установи, базова середня освіта, зовнішнє незалежне оцінювання, стипендія, диплом бакалавра, післядипломна освіта, кандидат наук, наукова стаття, дисертація, 5-бальна шкала оцінювання.

The Ukrainian educational system is organized into five levels: preschool, primary, secondary, higher and postgraduate education.

Children aged one to six years old have the opportunity to attend preschool education.

Currently in Ukraine, school in its prime meaning is designated for children and teenagers who attend it between ages 6 through 17.

There are several types of institutions of General Education. Some schools may be boarding schoolsand namedschool-internat or lyceum-internat.

• Middle School of General Education (ZOSh) or Middle School

• Lyceum (Tekhnikum in the Soviet times)

• Gymnasium

Grade	Age	School level	Accreditation
1	6-7	primary	I level
2	7-8
3	8-9
4	9-10
5	10-11	secondary, base	II level
6	11-12
7	12-13
8	13-14
9	14-15
10	15-16	secondary, complete	III level
11	16-17

The institution is called Middle School of General Education (ZOSh) or simply Middle School and usually combines primary and secondary levels of education. The system was first introduced in 1958 and included an 11-grade system, while in 1965 it was shortened to a 10-grade system. In 2001, a 12-year education system replaced an older 11-year one, but in 2010 the 11-year one was restored, so that no pupil studied 12 years in secondary school.

Most of the middle schools have all three levels of accreditation for the General Education. Some remote schools may be of two levels which is a minimum requirement for all the middle school.

Primary and secondary education is divided into three levels of accreditation of general education: I - "younger", II - "middle", and III - "senior". I level of accreditation comprises grades 1 to 4. Grades 5-9 are usually considered a II level of accreditation or a base secondary education, while 10-11 are a III level. Despite the names, students usually study in the same school institution throughout their primary and secondary education. Primary schoolinglasts 4 years andmiddle school5. There are then 2 profile years.

The objective of general schooling is to give younger students knowledge of the arts and sciences, and teach them how to use it practically. The middle school curriculum includes classes in the Ukrainian language,Ukrainian Literature, a foreign language, world literature, Ukrainian History, world history,geography,algebra,geometry,biology,chemistry,physics,physical education, music and art.

Students attend each class only once or twice a week, however. Part of the school day is also spent in activities such as chess,karate, putting on plays, learning folktales and folk songs, choir and band. After school, students might also have music lessons, soccer, hockey, or tennis.

Schools receive 50% of their funding from the city budgetand 50% from the nationalGovernment budget. TheCabinet of Ministers of Ukraineintends to give general education schools the option to independently manage the financial resources assigned from the state budget starting from January 1, 2010.

During grades 9 and 11, which is usually around the age of 15 and 17, students take various exams. The current examination system is undergoing change. At grades 9 and 11 students take IGTs (Independent Government Tests), which allow eleventh graders to enter university without taking separate entrance exams. In 2008 entrance exams were abolished and the IGTs became the standard for determining entrance eligibility. But in 2010 the system was changed again.

Patential graduates are scheduled to undergo external independent testing after the final state examination, in the following subjects: Ukrainian languageandliterature,history of Ukraine,mathematics,biology,physics,chemistry,geography, and one foreign language (of the pupil's choice) in eitherEnglish,German,French, orSpanish. The results of the testing will have the same status as entrance examinations to institutions of higher education. But some universities can convert points in the external independent test certificate according to their own rating system.

University level (Post-secondary education)

Higher educationis either state funded or private. Students that study at state expense receive a standard scholarship if their average marks at the end-of-term exams and differentiated test is at least 4 (see the 5-point grade system below); this rule may be different in some universities. In the case of all grades being the highest (5), the scholarship is increased by 25%. For most students the level of government subsidy is not sufficient to cover their basic living expenses. Most universities provide subsidized housing for out-of-city students. Also, it is common for libraries to supply required books for all registered students. There are two degrees conferred by Ukrainian universities: the Bachelor's Degree (4 years) and the Master's Degree (5–6th year). These degrees are introduced in accordance withBologna process, in which Ukraine is taking part. Historically, Specialist's Degree (usually 5 years) is still also granted; it was the only degree awarded by universities in the Soviet times.

Postgraduate level

Upon obtaining a Master's Degree or Specialist, a student may enter a university or a scientific institute to pursue postgraduate education. The first level of postgraduate education is aspirantura that usually results in the Kandydat Nauk degree (Candidate of Sciences). Candidates must pass three qualifying exams (in the field of specialty, in a foreign language of their choice and in philosophy), publish at least three scientific articles, write a dissertationand defend it. This degree is roughly equivalent to thePh.D.in the United States. After graduation a student may continue postgraduate education. This takes from two to four years of study indoctorantura. Significant scientific results must be obtained and published, and a new thesis written. This produces a Doctor Nauk degree (Doctor of Sciences), but the more typical way is working in a university or scientific institute with parallel preparation of a thesis. The average time between obtaining Kandidat and Doctor degrees is roughly 10 years, and most of new Doctors are 40 and more years old. Only one of four Kandidats reaches this grade. Kandidat Nauk may keep the position Associate Professor in universities, or Researcher/Senior Researcher in scientific institutes. Doctor Nauk can hold position of full Professor, Head of Laboratory or an equal/higher positions. The Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science is considering changing the Soviet style Kandidat Nauk and Doctor Nauk degrees to Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor Habilitation, as has happened in several other post-Soviet countries.

Marks

Ukrainian universities use a traditional 5-point scale:

• "5" = "excellent"

• "4" = "good"

• "3" = "satisfactory"

• "2" = "unsatisfactory".

"5", "4", "3" can be described as "Passed", "2" - as "Fail". Students who get a failing grade of "2", have two more chances to pass an examination. Since 2006 (and even earlier in some universities), university students are graded on a rating scale of 0 to 100. These grades can be transformed to the 5-point scale approximately as follows (this system may vary a little from university to university and may change from time to time):

• from 90 to 100 means "5" —– A

• from 75 to 89 means "4" —— B,C

• from 60 to 74 means "3" —— D

• from 0 to 59 means "2" —— E

Both the rating scale and the 5-point scale are used in university registers. Some lecturers prefer to use A-F-point scale to rate students during their passing the exams.

As for secondary schools, they also used the above-mentioned 5-point scale till 2000. Since 2000 secondary schools use a 12-point scale, which could be transformed into the traditional 5-point scale as follows:

"12" = "5+" "11" = "5" "10" = "5-" "9" = "4+"

"8" = "4" "7" = "4-" "6" = "3+" "5" = "3"

"4" = "3-" "3" = "2+" "2" = "2" "1" = "2-"

Here signs "+" and "-" denote respectively better and worse version of a mark, for example, "4-" means "somewhat worse than good".

Languages used in Educational Establishments

In 2000/01 academic year, 70% of students attended Ukrainian-language schools (that is whereUkrainianis the primary language of instruction), while 29% were studying inRussian-languageschools. There are schools with instruction inRomanian,Crimean Tatar,Hungarian, andPolishin regions populated by those groups.

41

Read the sentences about the system of education in Ukraine and say which are true and which are false:

1. The system of education in Ukraine is characterizd by 3 levels: kindergarten, school and university.

2. Middle School of General Education combines two levels of education.

3. The first level of school accreditation comprises primary school.

4. The objective of the shool is to teach pupils to use the arts and sciences practically.

5. An 11-grade system was introduced in 1958 and has never faced any alterations.

6. The Independent Government Tests are taken at the 11^th grade to allow evelenth graders to enter university.

7. At state funded higher educational establishments, students study at state expence.

8. Moreover, all of them receive a standard scholarship.

9. Nowadays Ukrainian universities award The Bachelor’s, Specialist’s, and Master’s Degrees.

10. Obtaining any of the degrees a student may pursue postgraduate education.

11. Postgraduate education comprises two levels.

12. In accordance with Bologna process Ukrainian universities use a 5-point scale, whereas secondary schools stick to a 12-point scale.