Russian School Rankings

NEW RUSSIAN ROAD MAP FOR TEACHING - A TABLE OF RANKS

By Stephen Wilson

 

MOSCOW -- According to a new statement issued by the Ministry of Russian Education and

science , from 2020 a new 'table of ranks' within secondary state schools may

come into effect where teachers will be allowed to climb a wider career ladder.

The rank of the teacher will be based on their effectiveness and experience as

teachers in schools. It is hoped that such a reform will encourage not only retraining

teachers but allow them access to a fairer career ladder. As they move up the

career ladder they will obtain better pay as well as improved status.

In fact, the government has already launched voluntary pilot schemes in up

to 13 regions of Russia covering teachers of Russian and Physics.

But how do you assess what rank a teacher deserves? What criteria is the

government set on using? According to some sources teachers would be

ranked around those who are competent to solve problems in familiar

situations,solve them in some unfamiliar situations and the highest level where teachers

can cope with problems in any awkward situation. So you have the basic teachers at the

bottom of the wrung while further on you will have older teacher {methodists}

and a higher teacher called a nastvnick or mentor.

The proposed reform has brought many groans from Russian school teachers.

It is an excuse for teachers to undergo more tests and endless evaluation of their

experience. During the Soviet period, 'retraining courses' were viewed as

a punishment for teachers who had stepped out of line.

Some teachers are asking: "Why do we need a new table of ranks ? Who

will really benefit from this ?" At present you already have potential promotion

for ambitious teachers who can in theory, become a deputy headmaster or

headmaster. Teachers can also enter a competition : 'Teacher of the Year'.

The real danger in such a scheme is that it will intensify rivalry between

teachers and create a wider 'them and us ' atmosphere ' where a few

teachers obtain higher pay and benefits than others. However, moving up

a rank won't be determined by 'merit' alone, if at all, but involve filling in

a lot of paperwork to prove you deserve such a rank. Most school teachers

don't have time to be distracted by overwhelming red tape. They already

have too much additional paperwork as well as homework to mark.

The unfairness of the present situation is indicated by a government claim

that while some headmasters obtain 120,000 rubles a month a teacher can

earn 32,000 rubles if he or she does 36 academic hours .

All this red tape has not deterred some stubborn teachers. Tanya, a Russian

English teacher in a primary school in Moscow stated : "I think it is a great

chance. I want to reach the next level in teaching even if it means filling in all

those forms . I advise you to do the same ! " But her friend, a teacher from

Kishinev, Oksana Chebotareva, replied : " I don't have the time . I'm just

too busy. I'm teaching not only at school, but at an institute and at the university".

This is part of the problem. Teachers are just too exhausted as well as being

fed up with another reform which means one more stressful headache ! They

feel like potential guinea pigs being thrust into some ill thought out experiment.

The proponents of such schemes should remember lessons from history.

Peter the Great attempted to impose a 'Table of Ranks' in order to foster

a meritocracy in 1722. The idea was that a career could be open to the talents of the

lowest peasant. Instead this largely created a caste system based more on

bribery and corruption than merit. It did not end or eradicate injustice but provoked

the Russian revolution.