III. Read the text and check up your answers in ex. II.

Look through the list of English words and their Russian equivalents before reading the text:

Envisages- рассматривать Vocational-профессиональный Competitive-конкурентный

Degree-степень Establishments-учреждения Continuity-продолжительность

Available-доступный free of charge-бесплатный

Read the text.

The republic is reforming its system of education today, with the aim of creating an independent, qualitatively new national school. The reform envisages a continuity of study at all of its stages, such as pre-school, secondary school, vocational training and specialized secondary school, and further level at higher schools.

Belarus is a country with a high educational level. The total number of students in 1993/94 academic year was 2.4 million (nearly 25% of the population). There are 38 higher educational establishments in Belarus including Universities, 149 specialized comprehensive educational establishments, and 5.1 thousand various schools including primary and secondary ones. Among the secondary schools there are grammar schools, lyceums and colleges.

Secondary education in Belarus is compulsory. The state guarantees to every of its citizens the opportunity of a free of charge general secondary and technical secondary education. Specialized secondary and higher education is available for everyone according to his/her abilities.

After finishing the 9^th form one can go on to a vocational school, which offers programs of academic subjects and a program of training in a technical field, or a profession.

After finishing the 11^th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or a gymnasium one can go on in higher education. All applicants must take competitive examinations.

Higher educational institutions (institutes or universities) offer a 4-year program of academic subjects for undergraduates in a variety of fields, as well as a graduate course. Besides, there are Preparatory Faculties and Post-Graduate Departments. The former as the name says, prepare students for entering the university, the latter get them ready for either M.A. (Master's Degree) or Ph.D. (for which one needs to write and defend a dissertation).

Rectors head higher educational establishments. Prorectors are in charge of academic and scientific work.

An institute or a university has a number of faculties, each specializing in a particular field of study. Faculties have specialized councils, which confer candidate and doctoral degrees.

The main educational potential is concentrated in Minsk, where training and retraining of personnel take place, for practically every branch of economy, science and culture. Minsk is a centre of science, University education, and national culture.

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