School and Study

EDUCATION: very important nowadays. Necessary to get a good job, earn money, to be successful in highly developed society, because of that countries pay attention to their educational system and try to improve it. Each of us has a right to get education.
EDUCATION SYSTEM IN SVK: we have compulsory education (povinná školská dochádzka) 10 years and begins in the age of 6 till 16. After 1989 and 2002 our e. s. was changed and competences were again given from state government to village and town councils. School types: state (štátna), private, church school, schools for disabled, handicap people (special conditions).

SCHOOL SYSTEM IN UK: primary schools (infant, junior school), secondary school till 18.
Nursery: jasle, kindergarten: for small children, first study before primary school, children learn to be in collective, they play, eat, sleep here, do exercises. Important preparation for the study.
Primary school: study of 9 years (in SVK) is divided into 2 levels – 1st /lower level (1st – 4th class), 2nd/upper level (5th – 9th class)
General education - Learning to count, write, read, art, physical and religion education, music, basics of biology, chemistry, physics, geography, history, languages.

Secondary, high school: after entrance exam, specialisation according to school – Grammar school (theory in detail, preparing for higher education, some are specialised in a specific subject, like maths or languages, 8 year grammar school), vocational and technical school (specialised for some field, hotel academy HA, business college OA, food industry technical school SPŠP, agricultural, medical school – nursing, electro-technical), apprentice school (students ready to do practical work as waiter, cook, bricklayer, electrician, carpenter. Ended with reach of vocational certificate), children decide for secondary school on their own – study 4 years, 5 years, 3+2 years. The study on vocational and grammar school ends with leaving exam – matricular examination – maturita. In past only oral exam (except of essay in Literature), now also written text. Compulsory: povinný, elective: voliteľný.
During study on primary, secondary school students are rated for their knowledge according marks from 1-5, they have to answer, write tests, essays, reports and after 5 months they get school report. After successful passing of matricular exams higher education – lasts 4-6 years, provided by colleges and universities.

Universities: after entrance examination study of law, medicine, economics, journalism, agriculture, engineering, drama, fine art, tourism, management. After 3 years students can be bachelor and then master degree. After diploma work, state examination and graduation ceremony he reaches master degree (PhD…). University is divided onto faculties and departments. The oldest university in SVK is the University of Komenský in BA since 1920, NR: Slovak agricultural university, University of Konstantin the philosopher. At the university students have to get credits and grades A-E if they pass, if they fail they do exam again. Academic year is divided into summer and winter term.
 
LESSONS: on primary and secondary school begins at 8 o’clock and ends according to number of lessons, usually at 2 o’clock. Lesson lasts 45 minutes and breaks between them last 5,10,15 minutes. Students learn foreign languages, mother language with literature, maths, physics, biology, geography, chemistry, economics, marketing, management, accounting…
 
SCHOOL FACILITIES: playgrounds, gyms, basketball court, football pitch, a track, swimming pools, cloakrooms, school canteen, snack bar or buffet, the staff room, administrative offices, headmaster’s office, classrooms (small for 20, large for 40 students), special classrooms – laboratories for teaching IT, chemistry, physics, biology, foreign languages, a large assembly hall (auditorium) where meetings and celebrations are held, big hallways and staircases, decoration with flowers and pictures of famous people from the world of education and science, notice-boards with important information. Some school have dormitories. Many schools provide also after school activities for they students to improve skills or to their hobbies.
LIFE AT DORMITORY: pros and cons of living in dormitory – nearby school, with friends, learning together, waking up not so early, cons: less privacy, not your own room, not everything as at home, rules – to switch off the light at 10 pm., with more people in one room – no time to learn, travelling home for only a few days, out of family for years, learning to be independent
SCHOOL UNIFORM: no problems with clothes, all the same, looks nice but some are too out-of-date.
SCHOLARSHIP, SCHOOL RULES
 
SCHOOL HOLIDAY (more holiday: autumn, winter, Easter, academic week – matura)
RELATIONS STUDENT – TEACHER: respect the rules t&s: to go on time and be prepared for lessons, no cheat sheet (ťahák), T: to explain lesson, be objective and rate the students… school trips, excursions, green ribbon ceremony… favourite teacher…

ME & SCHOOL, MY PRAXIS
MY SCHOOL: 5year secondary school giving basic and vocational theoretical knowledge and practical experience, ends with leaving exam, possibility to get vocational certificate waiter/cook, bartender certificate, to work abroad – CH, H, Cyprus… We reach education necessary to work in hospitality or catering, tourism, to start own business, to study at university… Now it is Spojená škola – consists of hotel academy, food industry technical school, sporting grammar school also with focus of French. There are here 200 employees, 1500 students. Facilities: many classrooms, school buffet, school hall, school mensa, dormitory, laboratories for chemistry, physics and engineering, own bakery, video classrooms for foreign languages, IT classrooms, typewriters, bar, copy office, many gymnasiums, tennis courts, fitness gym, table tennis gym…