Education in the Slovak Republic
Jan Amos Comenius is known as the instructor of the nations. A child from one to three years of age can attend a day nursery and from three years of age a kindergarten. The tutor teaches his wards the general principles of the alphabet and of mathematics. After enrolling in the nine-year elementary school, six year-olds begin their compulsory school attendance. The school year begins on Septemper 1st and finishes on June 30th. Children learn to read, write and count, they learn about history, geography, the natural sciences, the fine arts. At the end of each school year pupils get reports. Then we have two months of holidays. We also have Christmas, Easter, spring holidays and a few free days on state holidays. In the final year of the elementary school pupils need to choose his future occupation. They can study at some secondary school - industrial, medical, economic or an apprentice training centre, or some art school.
Grammar School prepares students for university studies. At the present time there are also private and religious schools. Secondary school studies last for four years. At the end students must pass a graduation examination consisting of oral and written parts. They graduate from four or five subjects. From each subject a student selects one question and answers about 15 minutes. The graduation examination committee rules as to how we performed. We are offered a second chance in September. If we want to study at a college or university, we must pass the entrance examinations and degree.
Universities have several levels. The lowest, lasting three years, is the bachelor´s degree. We can study at a teacher´s college and we obtain the title of masters, or we can study at an economics or technical college and we obtain the title of engineer. The completion of studies is marked by a graduation, where we get a diploma. Our universities are the Komensky University in Bratislava, the P. J. Safarik University in Kosice, the Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica, the Technical University in Kosice... There are driving schools for learning how to drive any kind of vehicle. Each pupil must pay tuition. After the final exam he get a driving licence. There are also special schools that prepare children with mental or physical handicaps for normal life.
When I was a child, I attended kindergarten. I used to play, draw, sing, go for walks with my friends and the teacher. When I was 7 years old, I started to attend elementary school. I enjoyed physical education and art. I think that secondary school education is very important for one´s life. I enrolled this secondary school because I would like to be a businesswoman. I wouldn´t like to study at university in the near future because I would like to go into the foreign countries.
1.) Education system in GB, USA, Slovakia:
SVK- The most children of SR attend kinder gardens, they usually stay here from 2 to 3 years and spend here from 6 to 8 hours daily. They play different games, dance, sing, draw, go for walks, different activities, but there are also breakfast and lunch. In the afternoon they sleep. It´s important they meet friends here, help them, they have no problem in primary school. In SVK is compulsory (povinné) education from 6 to 16 years, so children at 6 go to primary school and stay here until they are 15. The fisrt class is very important and everyone remember first teacher and classmates and children are thought they write, read and count. New and new subjects appear such as math, slovak language, physical education, chemistry, biology, foreign languages.. I attend my first teacher- her name was Krasnocvetová. I think, that I was good pupil. I got only good marks. After the primary school you must do extrance exams to secondary schools. The best ones go to grammar school, others go to secondary schools such as technical schools, nurses schools, art schools, or they go to study on apremtis (učňovky). They stay here for 4 years and in finnaly year do
to school living exams (maturita). The best students from grammar schools go to the universities, others go to work. I attend grammar school in RK. I learn subjects such as math, literatury, slovak language, russian and english language, history, biology, physical education. I haven´t favourite subjects, but I don´t like history and
chemistry. I think, that it´s so hard study here. Teachers demanding famous a lot of knowledge. Nearly every day we have some tests. I´m quite good student, but sometimes I´m lazy. After extrance they go to universities, which are in BA, KE, MT, NR, TN, RK. More students can study lawyer (právnik), medicine.. After the first half of studying student can get degree a bachelour, and after finally exams they can get degree a doctor, ingeneer, magister.. I would like to study at Žilinská univerzita in ZA. I want to study informathic.
GB- In GB children go to school at 5. Most children after primary school go to large comprehensive schools without taking any exams. Here is wide choice of subjects so everyone can choose this optional subjects. At 16 they take first exams o- levels in 5 subjects, if they pass they continue 2 years in more academic type of studying, if they fail, they go to work. At 18 go to universities, others go to work. There are some famous universities in GB such as- Oxford, Cambridge, Yale - the best students study here, but there are also a lot of local universities. More students are excepted here study. In SVK and GB aren´t school fees.
USA- There aren´t school fees. Americans take great pride in their schools and want their children to have the best possible education. Only 1 percent can not write and read. Different types of schools, subjects, timetable: You can find state schools, church schools, boarding schools, evening schools. Most people prefer state schools, but also church schools, there aren´t so many private schools, we have primary private schools. More people can afford to pay schools fees. Evening schools which are most popular are languages schools. Here study people, who work in the morning. Boarding schools- students not only study here, they also live here. In GB, there is very famous top private school which is called etom, these schools are called public. Etom- it has old traditions, it´s boarding school only for boys. They have to wear uniforms, they study very hard here, there is strickt discipline, but the fees are so high. Only sick people can afford to send children there. Timetable- In our school begin tuition at 7 a.m and finish 2 p.m. Everyda we have about 7 lessons. Each lesson last 45 minutes. GB: they start later, at about 9 a.m than at 12 they have 1 hour break
lunch but they have lessons also in the afternoon usually optionals (voliteľné) subjects and they have some after school activities and they finish about 4 p.m.
Exams and holidays:
Every year in school are divided 2 halfs (2 polroky), after each students are given certificate and have holidays. In winter we have 2 weeks holidays, in spring we have 1 week holidays, Easter holidays are 4 days, in summer we have 2 mounths holidays. GB- School are divided 3 therms (semestre), and after each they have holidays. They also have winter, spring, easter and summer holidays. They have atterns exams ( vstupné skúšky), and schools living exams in SR (maturita).- it´s after 4 years study.- Students can choose 3 subjects but 2 subjects are compulsory (povinné)- it´s slovak language and one foreign language. Students before school living exams write tests- from foreign languages, slovak languages and maths.
Typical day in your school:
In our school we start at 7 a.m and finish at 2 p.m.I go to school by bus or by car. We have about 7 lessons, also there are possibilty have lunch.
Education
In Britain today, education is compulsory from the age of five to sixteen. School begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. The academic year begins after the summer holidays and is divided into three terms of around 13 weeks with the intervals between them formed by the Christmas and Easter holidays. In Britain there are mainly state schools. State education is divided into two main stages: Primary education from the age of 5 to 11 secondary education from the age of 11 to 16/18.
Primary schools (5-11) are usually divided into Infants (5-7), Juniors (7-11). Secondary schools include: comprehensive, grammar, secondary modern, technical and public schools.
Examinations:
General Certificate of Education at Ordinary Level (G.C.E."O" level)
General Certificate of Secondary Education (G.C.S.E) - 15/16
General Certificate of Education at Advanced Level (G.C.E."A" level)-18/19
There are both state and private schools in the USA. The school day usually begins between 8.00 and 9.00 a.m. and ends around 3 p.m. It includes a lunch break and sometimes free hours during the day. School attendance as compulsory in the United States from 6 until the age of 16. The system of education is divided into pre-school and elementary, secondary and higher education. Students have both compulsory and elective subjects at high schools. The compulsory subjects include English, Modern Language, Maths, Chemistry and Biology. The electives include Music, Arts, Physical Education. All high school students have mid-term and final exams in each subject.
Anyone who fails can go to to summer school or can take some extra courses. In the end of the final year at high school the students take nationwide standardized test, called Stanford Achievement Test (SAT).
This test is in all subjects and the scores are used for college entrance requirements. The USA has some of the world's most outstanding universities including Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Stanford University... After enrolling in the nine-year elementary school, six-year-olds begin their compulsory school attendance. The school year begins on September 1st and finishes in June 30th. Children gradually learn to read, write and count; later they get acquainted with the fundaments of history, geography, the natural sciences and fine arts. Students are evaluated by marks from 1 to 5. 1 is the best and 5 is the worst. At the end of the each school year pupils get reports with their academic record in different subjects. After elementary school we can study at some secondary school (technical, medical, economic) or an apprentice training centre, or some art school. One of alternative secondary schools is Grammar school which prepares its students for university studies. Secondaryschool studies last for four years. At the end of fourth year students must pass a graduation examinition, usually consisting of oral and written parts. Knowledge of four subjects is verified here. The Slovak language is compulsory, while other subjects are determined either by the institute itself or left to the choice of the student. From each subject a student selects one question which should be answered and discussed for fifteen minutes. The graduation examination committee
rules as to how we performed. If we do not manage to pass the examination on our first attempt, we are offered a second chance in september. Grammar school is a secondary school which prepares students for university studies.
