Education in the USSR has long been considered one of the best in the world. John F. Kennedy said that America lost the space race to the Russians at a school desk. But was it really so? It is interesting to read the testimonies of Pavlenko or Chernov about how the situation with Soviet education actually was. Another case is known that makes one think. Once in the presence of Anna Akhmatova it was mentioned that Valentin Kataev was “still an intellectual”. The poetess grunted and said that he was just lucky - he managed to unlearn in the pre-revolutionary gymnasium, where knowledge was given more extensive than in the USSR.
The formation of the Soviet education system
During the entire period of its existence, Soviet power gave education an almost leading role. Was it a harsh necessity for the formation of the military-industrial complex, or did the Bolsheviks really strive to lift "dark Russia" from its knees, which would remain "with the four classes of the parish school"? This is a topic for a separate discussion. In any case, the cultural revolution, conducted by the early revolutionary government, set itself a very wide range of tasks.
A special role was given to the school - an instrument of communist education and an important educational institution. Lenin said that the victory of the revolution can be fixed solely by school, and by educating future generations all the achievements of Soviet power will be consolidated. The Bolsheviks believed that only the masses of educated people could build a socialist state.
The first stage of the existence of the Soviet education system was associated with the destruction of all that was old and the elimination of the total illiteracy of the population. Previous management structures were abolished, private educational institutions were closed, the teaching of languages of antiquity and religion was forbidden, and a “purge” was carried out to remove unreliable teachers from teaching. It was believed that everything left of tsarism was outdated. Therefore, there were many negative phenomena: tsars, generals, and Russian classics were removed from educational programs.
Was there a free education?
In the USSR there was a free education! Defenders of the Soviet regime are very fond of mentioning this fact when there are not enough arguments. Yes, but this was not always the case, but only in the memory of these very adherents of the Soviets - grandparents born after the end of the war. In fact, tuition was canceled only in 1956, that is, three years after the death of the leader of the peoples, and under Stalin, paid education was the norm.
Opponents and defenders of Soviet education are equally right in this matter. Paid education in the USSR began with decree No. 638 of October 26, 1940. For knowledge it was necessary to pay not only in universities or in special educational institutions, but also in high school. Payment was canceled by a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of 1956.
The fight against illiteracy of the Soviet people
The program of Soviet Russia to eliminate illiteracy was adopted in 1919 by the Ministry of Education. According to the program document, the entire population from 8 to 50 years old was obliged to learn to read and write in their native or Russian language. All competent persons on the basis of labor service were involved in the training. The measure was forced: according to statistics, only 29.3% of men and 13.1% of women were literate. In Central Asia, literacy was 5% and 6%, respectively, in Siberia - 12%.
In schools, students learned to write and read, understand fonts, be able to make notes necessary in everyday life and official affairs, write down percentages and integers, and understand diagrams. In addition, the basic principles of building the Soviet state were explained to people. The educational program introduced by the Ministry of Education brought its results: by 1939 the literacy rate of the population aged 16 to 50 approached the 90% mark.
Change in content and teaching methods
Even before the introduction of paid education in the USSR, the new state determined the ways of forming a school. The Soviet school was divided into two levels. The duration of training in the first was 5 years, in the second - 4 years. All citizens have the right to education without regard to nationality or gender. At the forefront was the unconditionality of secular education. Additional functions were assigned to educational institutions: production and educational.
In 1918, they began to accept universities without examinations and without the need to provide an educational certificate. When enrolling, the peasants and workers, that is, the main social groups of the young state, had an advantage. The age limit was set for admission to a higher educational institution; 16 years. The priority was declared the fight against illiteracy.
In the second half of the 20s, the number of educational institutions (including the number of seven-year students in the USSR) and students increased, regular funding for education was established. The whole system in its main features developed by 1927. Entrance exams at universities were restored, student enrollment was declining, but education was constrained by a lack of qualified teachers.
In 1930, the decree on universal compulsory primary education affected all children from 8 years old. From the 1930-1931 academic year, it was necessary to study for four years, and for adolescents who did not receive primary education, an accelerated course was established (1-2 years). All school curricula were revised, new textbooks were released, history teaching was restored, a lesson schedule was introduced, a lesson became the form of organization of the learning process. A new generation of talented teachers began to work in schools.
Education and Culture Tax
Since 1931, “culturalsborrow” was introduced, that is, a tax on education and culture. This is the first step towards paid education in the USSR. Peasants were obliged to pay annually 20-80 rubles from one yard. The villagers also paid for the education of their children, the collective farmers paid together for textbooks and notebooks, writing materials, repair and construction of schools. For the village it was a lot of money.
"Change in tuition fees .." in 1940
The USSR Council of Ministers introduced paid education for high school students and university students. It was an official ruling. From September 1, 1940, students studying in grades 8, 9, and 10 of schools, or their guardians, were required to pay tuition fees. For schools in Moscow and Leningrad, the capital cities of the republics, it amounted to 200 rubles a year, and in all other settlements - 150 rubles a year. Education in universities cost 400 rubles a year in Moscow, Leningrad and the capitals of the republics, 300 rubles a year in all other cities.
How big was the money for Soviet citizens? Formally, with an average income of 400-500 rubles per month, tuition fees were not catastrophic. But if you look at the statistics, then real income was not enough, and compulsory bond loans were additionally charged (20-25% of the salary). So, high school education cost 4% of the parent's annual income for one child, and high school education - 9% per year of study.
Cancellation of tuition fees for nat. featured
Paid education in the USSR was not only impossible for most Soviet citizens. This was contrary to the 1936 Constitution. So in 1943, the CPSU Central Committee was forced to cancel payment on a national basis. The following exempted from tuition fees:
- Turkmens, Uzbeks and Kazakhs living in the Turkmen SSR;
- Kabardinians and Balkarians studying at pedagogical institutes and living in the Kabardin SSR;
- Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Tatars and Uyghurs in the Kazakh SSR;
- Tajiks, Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, Jews, Uzbeks, Karakalpaks living in the Uzbek SSR.
The era of universal free education
In 1940, education was paid. It became universal and truly free only in the late fifties - the first half of the sixties. Since 1956, tuition fees in the USSR were canceled.
“On Strengthening the Connection of School with Life”
Under N. Khrushchev, the act "On Strengthening the Connection of Schools with Life" was adopted, which actually forced to pay for school education. Introduced labor service for students in grades 9 and 10. Two days a week, students had to work in agriculture or in production, and the results of their work went to pay for tuition. For admission to a higher educational institution, one now needed work experience of two years. This reform was abolished immediately after the dismissal of Nikita Khrushchev. The final modern form of education took only under Brezhnev, that is, in 1966.