Bodies working out educational standards.
The body, which is carrying out management by development of educational standards and their approval, is the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic. To develop standards at the Ministry of Education nine traning-methodical associations on the basis of leading HEIs are created. These traning-methodical associations include in their structure representatives of other HEIs, enterprises and organizations.
Examination of projects of standards is carried out by interdepartmental advisory council at the Ministry of Education into which representatives of the ministries and departments of corresponding branches of economy are included.
In development of the state educational standards of new generation now are involved public-professional associations. Thus, in development of new professional standards the Association of Lawyers of Kyrgyzstan, Association of Bookkeepers and Teachers of Accounting and Audit of Kyrgyzstan show interest. Within the limits of the project of the European Training Foundation to development of national qualifying structure and standards in the field of tourism associations of tour operators and guides of Republic are attracted.
Denomination of educational standards in higher education.
For realization of multilevel system of higher education in 1994 are developed and put into operation the State educational standard « Higher education. The general requirements » and the Qualifier (list) of directions of preparation and specialities of the higher vocational education. The structure of components of SES is generated: the State educational standard of base higher education (bachelor) and the State educational standard of full higher education (master preparation).
The system of the state educational standards of the Kyrgyz Republic includes the State educational standards of the higher vocational education in directions of preparation of bachelors and masters and specialities (directions) of preparation of the certificated specialists. Thus necessarily there is registration number of the given standard, the code and the name of a direction or a speciality, year of introduction in action. Also qualification (degree) and a level of preparation (base higher or full higher vocational education) are specified.
In Kyrgyzstan Temporary state educational standards of the higher vocational education of the second generation operate. These standards are approved and entered into educational process since 2003. Perfection of standards occurs since 2001 on the basis of the sample models recommended by the Ministry of Education.
State standards of higher education of the first generation have been developed and approved in 1994-96; there was in them already a choice by students of education courses.
Patterns of working national educational standards of higher education.
In each state standard normative term of education, a skill level, and also the qualifying characteristic of the expert, area and kinds of professional work of the graduate who has finished education under corresponding program are defined.
The state educational professional standard of the Kyrgyz Republic consists of 4 mainframes: the first block - humanitarian, social and economic disciplines;
The second block - mathematical and natural-science disciplines;
The third block - professional disciplines;
The fourth block - special disciplines (for the certificated specialist).
In all standards there is a block of disciplines of the specialization, defined by HEI depending on a structure and scientific school.
All blocks of disciplines have obligatory state component, HEI component and courses at the choice of the student. In a percentage parity the state component makes about 60 % of educational program.
Each block has the certain quantity of obligatory hours.
For example, in the first block for all standards is identical quantity of hours - 1800. From them 45 % is allocated for self-work. Important to note, that in the first block there are five obligatory disciplines, which should be taught irrespective of a structure of preparation of specialists. As to the second block depending on a direction of preparation the quantity of hours varies from 550 up to 2100. In percentage parity the quantity of hours of the first and second block concerning the third and the fourth makes from 33 up to 46 %; the third and fourth blocks (base in preparation of the specialist) occupy from 50 up to 67 % from total amount of hours. Thus elective coursess in all standards make about 25-30 % from the general loading.
Except for minimal requirements to the content of education in the standard there are the sections establishing the requirements to a level of readiness of graduates, to education-methodical and to material support of educational process, to an industrial practice and the state certification.
Role of educational standards.
The order of development and approval of the state educational standards is defined by Regulations about the state educational standards of vocational education of the Kyrgyz Republic (the approved governmental order of the Kyrgyz Republic from February 3, 2004 #53).
According to Regulation the state educational standards carry out function of state regulation in the field of the higher vocational education and establish minimal requirements to the content of education and content of qualitative educational process. Requirements of standards are obligatory for performance by all educational establishments applying for delivery of documents on education of the state sample. Procedure of the state certification of HEIs reveals conformity of educational activity of educational institutions to requirements of the state educational standards.
Academic members’ attitude to educational standards.
The attitude of the academic members to educational standards is different: from aversion to full consolidation with all requirements, which are available in the standard. Considering diversification of the educational programs, many HEIs cannot keep within frameworks of standards since they try to realize joint programs with foreign HEIs. For such HEIs Order of the Ministry of Education stipulates an opportunity of the approval of individual educational programs (the curriculum and qualifying requirements). In general teachers of HEIs take for a basis the requirement of standards for development of theit working curricula and curriculums on disciplines.
Norms of state standards give to teachers the academic freedom to teach the discipline on independently chosen methods of education, definition of depth and volume of studying of a subject. Basically teachers use former working experience though recently new innovative technologies of education are widely introduced into educational process.
Educational standards and quality of HEIs graduates preparation.
One of the tasks of standards is creation of uniform educational space, securing unobstructed mobility of students. However in practice the programs in HEIs are different in volume and terms of studying of subjects that creates obstacles in realization of a task in view. Introduction of standards has not given as well effect of improvement of quality of preparation of specialists since the requirements incorporated in them, do not adjust quality of preparation of specialists according to demand of the market. Quality of a professional education in HEIs today does not reflect the valid need of employers and modern labour market.
It is possible to tell, that basically the academic public, students do not know about existence of the state educational standards. Employers too do not use educational standards in the personnel work. Probably, the national professional standards established by professional communities and forming the requirements to competence that or other specialists are necessary.
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