Hi-tech education instead of an earthly life

There are some unfortunate incidents on a thorny way of introduction of high technologies into Russian schools. On the first of September 2011 Dmitry Medvedev unexpectedly found that in Russia there are schools with Internet, but without toilets. So what is more important for good education? Or is the choice here so inevitable?

1. Day of knowledge and discovery        

Authorities actively introduce into Russian schools high technologies and high standards. The head of the government, despite being very busy, sometimes personally follows the process. But to tell the truth, unfortunate incidents also happen. On the first of September 2011 the president, who visited one of the rural schools in Stavropol region, was really happy with its computer equipment, and earthly parents, not realizing the greatness of the moment, complained about absence of a toilet in school. Of course, there was a toilet, but it was on a street. So the president had to show surprise and to instruct the governor to provide this school with normal toilets, because the president couldn’t spoil the holiday and its own image explaining to irresponsible parents things that are obvious.

2. Computerization is more important than canalization

In Russia more than half of schools are rural, and the majority instead of normal toilets has traditional Russian outhouses. Of course, during winter time, it is very cold to go there, especially somewhere in Chita and Tynda where it is minus 40 [1-4], but in order to provide all rural schools with toilets 60 billion rubles will be necessary to invest [5-6]. Some schools find ways out of this situation: they build warm toilets without canalization, but with a cesspool on the street. Also maybe biotoilets could be installed – it is better than in cold to dance around the hole. But the only thing is that toilet business is poorly developed in Russia. It doesn’t have a good lobby; also it is not presentable as computer business: it would be strange to report that now all schools have normal toilets. So we have to choose: Internet or toilets.

3. Only the best will survive

Some rural schools are even closed for better education and for savings: for the last 16 years approximately 12 thousand schools have been closed. Irresponsible teachers and parents even here complain: they say that even in postwar years and in the years of devastation schools were not closed. Yes, let’s say it is true – schools were not closed, but how did people study there? There were no facilities, no textbooks, children were writing on some pieces of newspapers instead of notebooks. And today rural schools will be at the global level: with computers, interactive desks (but please don’t remember about toilets!). Of course, in every village such schools can’t be built, but there is no need in a great number of these schools: villages are dying out. Let there be one for a region, but at high level with special school buses taking kids to the school. But of course not so beautiful as in USA, and they will not be able to pick up each child individually. But it will be possible to find some small and old buses as Russian “Pazik” – let them take everybody from parish center. Well and let parents take their children to this “Pazik”: there are only 6-13 kilometers. Of course, they don’t have cars, we are not in USA, but they will adapt to it. To tell the truth climate here is not the same as in USA, neither the same are the roads. On the other hand, kids from their childhood will be accustomed to discipline and to become tempered: yet they should wake up every day at 6 am and in winter drive in a cold bus, and also if someone gets motion sickness – but after that they will not be afraid of any army! [6-9].

4. Go, for Uruguay!

And, by the way, there is one good example for us. In Uruguay few years ago all kids in junior classes were provided with personal computers with Internet. And there, by the way, the situation with school toilets is not so good too. To tell the truth, presidential candidate, who developed this plan, was not elected, but what a global resonance [10]. Especially as we are approaching Uruguay in the level of education: in order to get the certificate of secondary education our schoolkids should get 21 points for math at Unified State Exam and 31 points – for Russian language. And this is all happening because new standards have not been introduced yet; poor children have to learn a lot of things. When we leave only 3-4 mandatory subjects, children will manage to learn them all. And what for we should hammer their heads: they will manage to say some words in English, to fill in declarations, they will master computers – and we will think for them [11].

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