Education

Education

They say that knowledge is power. And I fully agree with this statement. One with knowledge can make a better way in the world. But in order to get good knowledge, you should have a good education.

In the United Kingdom there are two major stages of education. Most children start primary school at the age of five. Then at eleven they go to secondary school. All children stay at secondary school till the age of sixteen. And at sixteen they take GCSE examinations - that is the General Certificate of Secondary Education. After these exams about thirty percent of students leave school. The others usually study three subjects for two more years and then take 'A' levels or Advanced level examinations. About twenty percent of eighteen-year-olds go to university.

Students go to school from Monday to Friday and school starts at nine o'clock. Most schools are mixed - they're for boys and girls. And at most secondary schools the students wear a uniform. On average there are about twenty-two students in a secondary school class. British students have a wide choice of subjects. They study Math, Art, Food Technology, Design and Technology, Science and, of course, foreign languages. Many British school children only learn a foreign language from the age of eleven. Most students study French. Other popular languages are Spanish and Italian. They also study other subjects - like Information Technology, History, Geography, English Literature and Religion. Students have lessons in the morning and then a break of an hour for lunch. Some go home for lunch, some bring sandwiches with them and some eat in the school canteen. School usually finishes at about four o'clock.

Ninety-two percent of British schools are state schools. That means they're free. The government pays not the parents. Eight percent of schools are independent. The parents of these students pay for their education. Some of these independent schools are boarding schools. The students don't live at home during term time, they live at the school. And usually these schools have very traditional uniforms.

In Belarus there are 4 stages of education: preschool education, primary school education, secondary school education and higher education. In our country primary and secondary school education is compulsory. All in all it lasts 11 years. Children start attending primary school at the age of 6 or 7 and secondary at the age of 10 or 11. Their school year begins on September 1st and ends at the end of May. It is divided into 4 terms. At the end of each term they have holidays. Summer vacations are the longest. The school day starts at 9 a.m. and finishes about 3 p.m. But the schedule can vary from school to school.

To receive GCSE pupils must take 4 exams: Russian or Belarusian Language, Mathematics, History of Belarus and Foreign Language. After the 11th form pupils can enter a university to get a higher education. For that one needs to take 3 tests. If an applicant's score is enough he'll be enrolled in the establishment he chose. According to his score he'll be studying either for free and receiving scholarship or a fee will be charged from him. Studying at university requires hard work. To pass an exam with flying colours, students must burn the midnight oil and read piles of books. Upon graduation students are given diplomas. Some students decide to continue education and get a Master's degree. They devote their time and efforts to the scientific research.

As for me, I study at Lyceum №1 which opened its doors for the first time in September of 1996. It is the only institution of such kind in Grodno. The goal of the lyceum is to develop special abilities of every student. We have several profiles with the profound learning of mathematics and physics, chemistry and biology, history and social sciences, Russian, Belarusian and foreign languages. The students of lyceum have some unique traditions like “The Ceremony of Initiation of the lyceum students”. We also have several museums – like the Museum of sport and tourism, the Museum of the History of Pedagogics in Grodno or the Museum of The Great Patriotic War. In the lyceum we make friends, learn to understand people and life itself, develop our character.

In conclusion, I'd like to say that education is no doubt very important to everyone. But there is a tendency nowadays to strive not for knowledge but for marks and certificates. This is unwise. We need to remember that quality is more essential than quantity. So, it's necessary to concentrate on self-education and self-development. This approach will make you an asset to any company or organization.

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