Education in UK and Armenia

Education is a subject about which many British people care deeply. Most believe that the state should provide education free of charge and to a high standard. At election time, politicians who promise to spend more on education are popular with voters. Recently, there has been a lot of debate about students having to pay their own fees at university, as well as well as their living expenses. Some people are afraid that poorer students will not receive enough financial help and will be discouraged from going on to higher education.

In Britain, education is decentralized. Apart from schools which are supported and publicly maintained, there are also the so-called “public schools” which are independent and which charge high fees for studying. Education in Britain is obligatory between the ages of five and fifteen. At the age of five, children go to Infant School. At the age of eleven children take the so-called “eleven plus” examination, determining which type of secondary school they will attend. However, this early selection has been strongly criticized and that is why many comprehensive schools have been set up, to exclude this stressful examination. There are three types of secondary schools in Britain. Children may go to grammar schools, secondary modern schools and secondary technical schools. Only about 25 per-cent of the pupils attend grammar schools. They provide education of an academic type and many students go on to university upon graduation. More children go to secondary modern schools which give a general but also more practical education. Many pupils leave school at the age of fifteen but others stay on until they are sixteen. Most grammar school children stay at school until the age of seventeen or eighteen. Upon leaving, pupils may take an examination for the General Certificate of Education. 

It is written in the text, that politicians who promise to spend more on education are popular with lovers. In Armenia besides minister of Education and Science other politicians doesn't pay attention on education, they only promise to install asphalt on the roads, to make a higher pension. But there is also similar things between Armenian and British educational system. In Armenia also there are “public schools” which are independent and which charge high fees for studying. I study at school like that, and I think that these school's quality level is higher than simple public schools.

As I said, I study in a school, where we pay for our education, and our school's educational system differs from other schools very much. We used to learn funny and interesting dances, songs. Commonly our lessons were very funny and we were enjoying our lessons very much.

My first teacher was Mrs. Mariam. She wasn't young, but she used to make our classes very interesing. I remember that when we were reading fairy tales, our teacher had been giving us homework: to make paper puppets of that fairy tales, so we were doing paper puppet shows very often. Everyone in our class enjoyed doing puppet shows. My first English teacher was Mrs. Nelly. Till now I love him very much, because she has taught us English very good. I think that the most general is the foundation of our English knowledge, which thanks to Mrs. Nelly is very firm.

In Middle school education is almost the same as our primary schools. In Middle schools I have learnt Arabic and French for one year. Our classmaster was Mrs. Lusine. I think that she is one of the best teachers in the world, because she has done lot for us. I have spent 3 years in Middle school, but I have very good and unforgettable memories connected with my classmates and with all Middle school.

I go to the high school of “Mkhitar Sebastatsi” educational complex. Here educational system is very different. We chose what to study. So, if I want to become a journalist and I don’t need Physics of Chemistry, I refuse to study that subject. I think that it's a very good method, because we don't waste time on learning things that we don't need. 

I don't know educational systems of private schools, but I think that my school is semiprivate, because we pay fees. Anyway, on my opinion our school's system is better than simple public school's educational systems. In other public schools students learn everything by heart, but in our school we don't do so. During our lessons we try to improve our mindset, our practical knowledge and skills.

I haven't decided yet what I will major in, but I think about journalism and political science. But I love journalism more. I love to elucidate events and say my opinion. I think that I can be a famous and skilled journalist. Besides these two professions, I also love environment, because nature need to be cleaner, and protected. But I don't want to major in environment; it is my hobby and it will be my hobby during my whole life.