Lesson 3 Educational reforms in the Republic of Uzbekistan Warm up. Task Answer the questions below

Vocational Education. Unemployment remains relatively high, and there are many people desperately in need of new or more appropriate skills. There are a number of state and donor programs in place to address the structural training shortfall. Eventually, the goal is to meet European union standards.

Tertiary Education. Non university-level tertiary education is provided by national enterprise training centers and a number of business schools, as well as lyceum that train professionals in new economic and service fields. Higher education is available from several universities and over 50 higher education institutes.

3. 
   What is the difference of education in Uzbekistan and in a foreign country?
   

Russian was a common language for over 100 nationalities living in the Soviet Union and played the same role as English for the United States. It was also the Lingua Franca of the socialist world that included Bulgaria, Poland, Mongolia, and other European and Asian countries. Without Russian as a common language, Uzbeks (and other ethnic groups) would have to learn Ukrainian, Belorussian, Moldovian, Armenian, and many other languages to communicate with the multinational population of the Soviet Union. Therefore, until 1991, Uzbeks preferred schools with instruction in Russian for their children. To not do so would have put them at a great disadvantage socially. After Uzbekistan gained its independence, Uzbek (not Russian) became the official language of instruction.

4. 
   Can you tell about educational reforms in your country?
   

After getting the Independence the Republic of Uzbekistan has worked out an own model of development, taking into account the specific social and political traditions in the country. One of the most important conditions for the development of any country is a well functioning educational system.

In foreign language education, an important arena can be established for the development of cultural understanding, respect and tolerance. Knowledge of English has become essential in more and more fields of life, and it has become increasingly important for all parts of the worldwide population. Nowadays in our republic a great attention is being paid to broadcasting of the English language. Earlier English has been taught from the fifth grade in most secondary schools of Uzbekistan, whereas now a decree on further development of foreign languages teaching was issued on 10 December 2012 concerning teaching of this language from the first grade of all secondary schools.

5. 
   What kind of reforms would you like to bring into the education system?
   

In recent years I would like to bring to our education system online education. Online education is a form of education where students use their home computers through the internet. For many nontraditional students, among them all those who want to continue working full time or raising families, online graduations and courses have become popular in the past decade. Often online graduation and course programmers, some of which are conducted using digital technologies, are provided via the online learning portal of the host university.

6. 
   Which one would you choose: studying in your country or in abroad?
   

There are many reasons why I would like to study abroad. Here I list some of the biggest benefits and what I think about to get the most out of my studies abroad:

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  International understanding;
  
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  Personal development;
  
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  Learn a language;
  
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  Have fun;
  
• 
  Take a subject you can’t take at home.
  

7. 
   Are you going to continue your studies in master and doctorate’s?
   

Yes, I definitely want to continue my study in master’s degree. Because, initial Teacher Training programs provide a foundation for ongoing development. A master’s degree will help to deepen knowledge, and enhance teaching skills, or allow to specialize in a particular discipline or subject area. Continuing studies could also improve my career prospects, adding to my range of professional skills and providing opportunities for progression.