vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #534 / Social life / Reading article...

47 percent of Russians think that modern schools provide proper education and develop students’ physical skills while 36 percent think the opposite – schools harm psychological and physical health of students, a recent poll revealed.

The poll was conducted by a polling agency VTsIOM on August 26-27 among 1,600 people in 153 Russian cities and towns on the verge of September 1, the day when all schools in Russia start the new academic year. The margin of error was reported to be no more than 3.4 percent.

45 percent of those interviewed said that schools’ primary task is to train students for future professional studies. Another 20 percent think that schools should teach students to become intelligent people with a wide range of interests.

14 percent of the respondents declared that schools should coach students to become financially successful while 11 percent think that schools should guide students to evolve into decent people with strong family responsibilities. 5 percent strongly believe that schools’ task is to mold patriots.

51 percent of the respondents noted that high school grades ensure a successful career. That is mostly the opinion of people over 35 years old. 40 percent of the polled said good grades at school have no impact on future career.

54 percent of those polled said the Soviet system of education was the best in the world and that Russia should have continued it. 37 percent say the system was obsolete and needed reforms.

92 percent of the polled admit that school education is costly. Only 2 percent of the polled said the school expenses have diminished. Another 2 percent think school has not grown more expensive than it used to be in the Soviet times.

The average sum to prepare a student for school equals 6,181 rubles ($232) in 2006. Clothing and footwear for school including uniform and sportswear for physical training classes took one third of the expenses - about 2,664 rubles. The second most costly item is textbooks which cost about 851 ruble ($32).

An average priced schoolbag cost 575 rubles and school items such as notebooks, albums, pens and the like took 581 rubles.

Additional sums for school guards and technical equipment made 731 rubles and volunteering assistance to school development was about 387 rubles. A traditional bouquet of flowers for teachers cost an average 392 rubles.