Engel Fattakhov: “There is too much frenzy around USE, but it should be a common thing”

Next year, Tatarstan will focus on ensuring the quality of education in parts of the region is equal. Besides, the list of priorities includes pre-school education, career guidance and vocational training. Tatarstan education and science minister Engel Fattakhov said it at a meeting with journalists earlier in the day.

The list of tasks for next year included achieving equal quality of education for all municipalities, he said. The minister recalled that web-based education in the region increased, nearly 90 percent of the schools being equipped with high-speed internet.

Speaking of pre-school education, Engel Fattakhov noted the area had previously been overlooked. A total of 56 new kindergartens would be put into operation in the new year, he reported. “There is no other region that has delivered as many kindergartens over one year,” he stressed, adding the result had been made possible by region’s authorities. The institutions’ infrastructure improved, major renovation was performed, and new vacancies created, he went on to say.

“In total, 10,450 new vacancies were created in 2014,” Engel Fattakhov stated.

Children aged under seven needed to be taught the two official languages and, where possible, English, the speaker demanded. The competition to identify best bilingual kindergarten launched in 2014 will be continued into the new year. The competition’s budget will remain 50 million roubles.

Speaking of comprehensive education, Engel Fattakhov stressed that teaching techniques would be a focus. High school graduates needed to have good knowledge of all subjects as well as leaders’ qualities and creative thinking, he said. The Singaporean technologies Tatarstan teachers studied were to help achieve it, he added.

"There is too much frenzy around the unified state exam, USE, both created by students and parents. It is wrong, USE needs to be a common thing. This is why we will, beginning from this year, conduct tests or exams among 4th, 5,th, 6th,7th and 8th year students. Each student needs to have a portfolio from the early years," the minister said.

Within the meeting, best reports covering education and science in Tatarstan were awarded. Tatar-inform news agency was presented letters of appreciation.