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CHAPTER EDUCATIONAL REFORM IN THEl970's

In the U.S.S.R. also, reforms in educational structure, content and method are being urged for the 1970's. In 1970 a plan to extend compulsory education to ten years was started, and efforts are being made to accomplish this objective. The division between elementary education and secondary education is also to be amended in this year. The division previously had been 4 years elementary education. 4 years lower secondary education and 2 years upper secondary education. This will be reformed into 3 years elementary education; 5 years lower secondary education and 2 years upper secondary education.

In terms of educational content and method there has been a tendency toward uniformity but recently elective subjects were introduced for pupils above the seventh grade, and special schools for especially talented pupils in the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry and foreign languages were established. More emphasis is now put on education to develop individual abilities and to meet individual aptitudes. Efforts are also being made to improve and advance the comprehensive technical education, which has been the basic element in education since the revolution. Moreover, since 1950, nursery school-kindergartens, which begin education two months after birth, have been established. In addition, at all levels night schools and correspondence education have been greatly expanded, thereby opening education to working youths and adults.