Text “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 (1^st - 4^th grades), basic (5^th – 9^th grades) and senior (10^th – 11^th grades). In regular secondary schools children start learning foreign languages from the 1^st grade and have fewer lessons of language a week than specialized language schools. Recently new types of schools have appeared: gymnasiums and lycees. 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 do to vocational training schools. Post-secondary education is provided by technical schools and colleges of 1^st and 2^nd 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.

Vocabulary

to match – відповідати, рівнятися

compulsory – примусовий, обов’язковий

fee-paying – платний

nursery school, kindergarten – дитячий садок

slant – ухил, напрям

preparatory classes – підготовчі класи

grade – клас

lycee – ліцей

obligatory – обов’язковий

optional courses – факультативні заняття

extra-curricular activities – позааудиторні, загальні заходи

alongside – разом

vocational training school – професійне училище

higher educational establishment – вищий навчальний заклад

entrance examination – вступний іспит

applicant – кандидат

post – graduate education – освіта для підвищення кваліфікації, яка відноситься до аспірантської підготовки або удосконалення спеціалістів

Exercise 1

Answer the questions

1) What is Ukrainian educational system?

2) What can you tell about pre-school education in Ukraine?

3) What are the children’s activities in the nursery school?

4) At what age do the children go to school?

5) What does the system of secondary education in Ukraine include?

6) What types of schools do you know?

7) Do we have private educational establishments in Ukraine?

8) What extra-curricular activities do you know?

9) What is the system of post-secondary education provided by?

10) What is the system of higher education presented by?

Exercise 2

Find English equivalents in the text

Сучасна Україна, добре розвинена система, відповідати стандартам, дошкільна освіта, примусовий і платний, старші групи, основи арифметики, читання, письма, обов’язкова середня освіта, державні і приватні школи, мовний нахил, підготовчі класи, включати 3 стадії, спеціалізовані мовні школи, гімназії та ліцеї, усі предмети, правовий та математичний нахили, факультативні курси (предмети), на додаток, поза аудиторні заходи, спортивні та драматичні гуртки, отримати кваліфікацію, професійне училище, забезпечувати, готувати молодих спеціалістів, університети, академії, інститути, консерваторії, проводити вступні іспити, відбирати найкращих кандидатів, вищий навчальний заклад, дисертація на обрану наукову тему, видатне наукове дослідження.

Exercise 3

Complete the sentences

1. Ukrainian educational system matches … . 2. In kindergartens in senior groups children are taught … . 3. Compulsory secondary education begins … . 4. Secondary education includes … . 5. New types of schools are … . 6. Extra-curricular activities usually includes … . 7. Post-secondary education is provided … . 8. Institutions of higher learning include … . 9. They all hold … . 10. The best known higher educational establishments are … .

Exercise 4

Translate into English

1. Незалежна Україна має добре розвинуту систему освіти. 2. Дошкільна освіта – платна і необов’язкова. 3. У садочку дітей навчають основам арифметики, читання та письма. 4. Середня освіта - обов’язкова та безкоштовна у державних школах. 5. Деякі школи мають підготовчі курси. 6. Різні школи можуть мати різні нахили, а саме математичний, комп’ютерний чи правовий. 7. У середній школі усі предмети є обов’язковими, але у деяких школах також існують факультативні курси. 8. У цій школі є багато спортивних гуртків. 9. Щоб стати студентом вищого навчального закладу тобі треба скласти іспит. 10. Найкращі учні стануть студентами цього університету.

Exercise 5

Read and translate the word combinations. Guess what it is. Use the tips below.

Education, teaching of children between the ages of 6 to 14; a place where young children are taken care of during the day while their parents are at work; someone who has formally asked, usually in writing, for a university place; spoken or written test of knowledge; educational establishment that teaches you the skills you need to do a particular job.

Tips: examination, vocational training school, applicant, nursery school, secondary education.