School and Study, Education in Slovakia

SCHOOL AND STUDY

EDUCATION IN SLOVAKIA:

General education in Slovakia is free of charge – you don’t have to pay if you go to a state school but in most private schools you have to pay fees. School attendance in Slovakia is compulsory for children aged from 6 to 16 years.

In Slovakia we have: a) state schools

1. b) private schools
2. c) church schools

Education in Slovakia has these stages:

1. PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION - it includes nursery schools and kindergartens. They are for children from 3 to 6 years old.
2. PRIMARY EDUCATION - children start attending primary schools when they are 6 years old and finish when they are 16 years old. It is divided into 2 stages: 1st - 4th class and 5th - 9th class. The children at primary schools study these subjects: mathematics, physics, Slovak language, foreign languages, geography, history and so on.
3. SECONDARY EDUCATION- when children finish primary school, they can choose one of the secondary schools. It usually takes 3 or 4 years to complete secondary schools: • grammarschools which prepare students for university studies

• secondary technical schools(specialized/ professional schools)
• business schools,
• medical schools
• music and art schools

OR: • vocational schools - these are apprentice schools that train their students for practical jobs – for example to become plumbers, builders, carpenters etc. They last 3 years and students get skill certificate or they can continue with the studies and take school leaving exam.

Students can also study at • 8-year grammar schools.

‒› Students finish their secondary schools with school leaving examinations. If they pass them, they get School Leaving Certificate (General Certificate of Education)

1. UNIVERSITIES - The results of school leaving examinations are taken into account when students apply for universities. However, most students need to pass entrance exams to be accepted to Slovak universities. The most famous Slovak university is Comenius University in Bratislava. Others are: The Technical University in Košice, The Slovak Technical University in BA, The University of Economics in BB, BA, etc. Students can study law, medicine, economics, journalism, engineering, drama, fine art, agriculture...

Some young Slovaks study at foreign universities (Prague, Brno, Vienna). During their studies students sometimes spend a term or a year at a foreign university (Erasmus). • In order to get a university diploma, students must successfully complete a thesis and pass the state examination in his field of study. After finishing Slovak universities students get university degrees - Bachelor's degree (a 3-year course) and Master's degree (a 5-year course), Engineer (a 5-year course).

1. FURTHER EDUCATION - there also exists postgraduate education - Doctorate studies, after which students become Doctors of Philosophy or Science with PhD degree.

THE BRITISH SYSTEM OF EDUCATION:

The compulsory school attendance in Britain starts at the age of 5. Children start primary education – it is divided into infant schools and junior schools. Pupils at most of the primary and secondary schools have to wear uniforms, which are usually different for every school.

At the age of 11, most children start secondary education - it is compulsory until the age of 16, when the students take an exam called “GCSE”(General Certificate of SecondaryEducation). Students, who pass the GCSE exam can attend a 2-years long course and take A-levels examination. They can go to university only if they pass A-levels.

SLOVAK SCHOOLS

Students don't have to wear uniforms. The school year starts on 2^nd September and ends on 30^th June the following year. The school year is divided into 2 terms (September – January, February – June). The average number of lessons is 30 per week. First lesson begins between 7.30/8.00 and there are 4-7 lessons in a row. Each lesson lasts 45 minutes. Between them there are 5, 10 or 20-minute breaks. Pupils or students are evaluated by marks 1/5, 1 is the best, 5 is the worst. After each term students get their school reports with marks from compulsory or optional subjects. • Extra-curricular activities (After-school activities) are also very important. There are many different sport clubs. After school we can play football, floorball, volleyball or other ball games in the gym. We can join a computer group in our school or attend English or Spanish lessons provided by our school teachers.

My school - Private Secondary Technical (Specialized) School • The school building is quite large, with 2 floors.

• When we enter the school we are in the cloakroom (with lockers) on the ground floor. It is the place where students change their shoes.
• There is a long hallway with a lot of doors leading to classrooms, headteacher's office, deputy's office, teachers' office, administrative office, toilets, boiler-room, gym, caretaker's room etc. There are different staircases leading to the first floor. The hallways are also decorated with flowers and notice boards and timetables on the walls.
• Teachers have specialized classrooms for teaching foreign languages, equipped with interactive whiteboards, maps, CD players, overhead projectors etc. There are also IT labs, classrooms for history, physics, math, graphics etc.
• There is also a resting area (VIP zone) with a fireplace – students spend their free time there. • Students study at modern spaces, using modern technologies, videoconferences, laptops which they get
• If students pass the exams, they get CISCO certificates
• There are two branches of study: Law and Business

Information and digital technologies

• 4-year study
• Subjects: maths, physics, history, Slovak language, English, Spanish, German language, information technology, computer networks, graphics, application software, law, business, programming, religious studies, ethics, physical education...
• School rules: - I have to be at school on time

- I have to respect teachers, greet them, stand up when they enter the classroom

- I can't talk to my classmates or eat during the lessons

- I mustn't cheat, skip classes (play truant), smoke

- I can't leave school before the end of lessons

- I can't use mobiles, swear words

- I have be polite, raise my hand when I want to say something

- I have to do homework, prepare for the lessons

- I have to throw the rubbish in the bin etc.

What would you like to change? THE IDEAL SCHOOL ....

School uniforms:

Many students in Great Britain or the USA must wear the school uniforms – it is compulsory. I think the most important advantage is that there is no difference between the poor and the rich. I think that boys don’t mind wearing school uniforms but girls like fashion and they couldn’t show their new clothes. I wouldn’t like to wear a school uniform. I like wearing jeans and T-shirts because it is more comfortable. 

VOCABULARY

free of charge – bezplatné

education – vzdelávanie, vyučovanie

pay fees / pay charges – platiť poplatky

state school – štátna škola

private school – súkromná škola

church school – cirkevná škola

pre-school education – predškolské vzdelávanie

a nursery school – škôlka (jasle)

a kindergarten – škôlka

a primary school – základná školy

a secondary school – stredná škola

a boarding school – internátna škola

grammar school – gymnázium

medical school – zdravotnícka škola

business school – obchodná akadémia

vocational school – učňovská škola (s učňovským listom)

skill certificate – učňovský list

a plumber – inštalatér

a builder – murár

a carpenter – stolár

technical secondary school – stredná odborná škola (s maturitou)

music and art schools – umelecké školy

language school – jazyková škola

further education – ďalšie vzdelávanie

bachelor's degree – bakalár

master's degree – magister

a curriculum – učebný plán, školská osnova

compulsory subject – povinný predmet

optional subject – voliteľný predmet

cloakroom – šatne

lockers – skrinky

change shoes – prezuť sa

hallway – chodba

caretaker – školník

boiler-room – kotolňa

classroom – trieda

a floor – poschodie

a sportsground – športové ihrisko

a gym – telocvičňa

term – polrok

day off school – voľný deň

avarage – priemerne

lesson – vyučovacia hodina

a break – prestávka

a lunch break – obedňajšia prestávka

evaluate – ohodnotiť

play truant (skip classes) – chodiť poza

polite – slušný

during – počas

a subject – predmet

teach – učiť, vyučovať (učiteľ)

favourite – obľúbený

attend – navštevovať /školu/

school attendance – školská dochádzka

compulsory – povinný

an exam – skúška

an entrance examination – prijímacia skúška

a final examination – záverečná skúška

a school-leaving examination – maturitná skúška

a report – vysvedčenie

General Certificate of Education – maturitné vysvedčenie

to take an exam – robiť skúšku

to pass an exam – spraviť skúšku /úspešne/

to fail an exam – nespraviť skúšku

choose – vybrať si

following – nasledujúci

prepare – pripraviť

a degree – titul, stupeň

system of education – systém vzdelávania

GCSE  - výstupný certifikát zo strednej školy - v Británii

A – levels – maturitné vysvedčenie – v Británii

course - kurz

a result – výsledok

take part – zúčastniť sa

after-school activities – mimoškolské aktivity

satisfied – spokojný

conditions – podmienky

change – zmeniť

rules – pravidlá

difference – rozdiel

the poor – chudobní

the rich – bohatí

mind – vadiť

wear – nosiť /oblečené/

a school boy / school girl – školák, školáčka

a pupil – žiak

a student – študent

a graduate – absolvent VŠ

teaching staff – učiteľský zbor

a headmaster – riaditeľ školy

a headmistress – riaditeľka školy

a principal – riaditeľ školy

a deputy head – zástupca

provide - zabezpečiť

Law and Business – právo a podnikanie

make-up exams – reparát

scholarship ­– štipendium

demanding – náročný