Hidden Declines in Post-Soviet Education

摘要

Since RUSSIA AND UKRAINE GAINED THEIR independence in 1991, the number of students enrolled in higher education degree programs has substantially increased; in Russia, 3.4% of the population in 1991 increased to an impressive 6.7% in 2008, and in Ukraine, 3.1% grew to 6.3%, both higher than the 2008 percentages for the United States and Finland (5.9%) and the United Kingdom (3.9%) (7, 2). Likewise, in Russia, 54% of the population has a tertiary degree, compared with 41% of the U.S. population and 33% of the population in the United Kingdom and 36% in Finland (3).The numbers mask the reality: The quality of the education system in post-Soviet countries has been declining steadily in the past two decades, as measured by the graduates' ability to meet state educational standards and qualification levels (4). The lack of national funding forces public universities to depend on tuition fees, which in turn has led them to compromise their academic standards to admit students who can pay. Meanwhile, many private institutions prioritize making a profit over education quality.