1. Education system in Russia and Britain. Which is better?

2. In Russia there are about 700 private schools. It is only 1% of all Russian schools. 4% of children enroll in private schools. 96% of children study in state schools. An average private school has 120 students, the average class size - 12-15 students. In England and Wales, 93% of schools are free state schools and 7% are private schools. The average class size – 15-18 students.

3. Education is compulsory from 6-7 to 17 years old. There are three main states:  primary ( classes 1-4)  secondary (classes 4- 9)  high school (classes 9-11). Education is compulsory from 5 to 16 years of age. There are three main states:  primary (classes 1-6)  secondary ( classes 7-11); and optional “six form” ( 2-3 years of pre- university study).

4. In 2006 there were 1.3 million high school graduaters. By 2012, the number of graduaters has decreased to 800,000. In Russia there are three thousand universities and their branches. About 40% of pupils go to higher institutions. All British universities are public. In Britain there are more than 100 universities and 250 institutions giving higher education.

5. In 2012 there is a new education law discussed: the number of free lessons will be reduced to minimum. Other subjects pupils or their parents will be able to choose for themselves, but they must pay for them. Britain has a national curriculum and pupils have to study core subjects like maths, English and science. At fourteen students can study optional subjects. At sixteen pupils specialize in three or four subjects.

6. Pupils do tests from the first form. At the end of 9th form students do exams called GIA. After that they can start education in a college or may stay at school. At the end of 11th form students do Unified State Examination. According to the results of these exams they choose a university or a college for further education. Pupils do tests in core subjects from the age of seven. At sixteen they do exams called GCSE in a variety of subjects. If pupils stay at school, they take “A” or “A/S” level exams in their chosen subjects as part of the university entrance procedure.

7. In our country the development of corruption leads to dishonesty during the process of passing the USE. Our national curriculum is imperfect. British state is doing for their children more than Russian one. So, we can say that education in Russia is much worse than in British.