It Is Happening In Education!

And people are elated.

ЯЛТА /Республика Крым/, 25 февраля. /ТАСС/. Российское образование после отказа от Болонской системы будет опираться на все лучшее, что есть в его традициях, в том числе советские стандарты, сообщил журналистам в субботу первый заместитель руководителя администрации президента РФ Сергей Кириенко на педагогической дискуссии "Год педагога и наставника глазами педагога". "То, что российская система образования имеет столетние уникальные традиции, которыми мы по праву можем гордиться, и мы не имеем право потерять это наследие, должны его бережно использовать, в том числе и наследие советской школы, которая по праву считалось одной из лучших в мире. Не случайно. Вы слышали в послании во вторник на этой неделе президент [РФ Владимир Путин] говорил об отказе от Болонской системы и во многом о возвращении к советскому стандарту, который был и в системе высшего образования и среднего образования. <…> Поэтому опираться на все лучшее, что есть в российской, советской школе, кстати, во всей мировой школе, - это, конечно, абсолютно правильно", - сказал Кириенко.

Translation: YALTA /Republic of Crimea/, 25 February. /TASS/. Russian education after the abandonment of the Bologna system will rely on all the best that is in its traditions, including Soviet standards, Sergei Kiriyenko, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, told reporters on Saturday at a pedagogical discussion "The Year of the Teacher and Mentor through the Eyes of a Teacher." "The fact that the Russian education system has centuries-old unique traditions that we can rightly be proud of, and we have no right to lose this heritage, we must carefully use it, including the legacy of the Soviet school, which was rightfully considered one of the best in the world "Not by chance. You heard in a message on Tuesday this week the President [of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin] spoke about the rejection of the Bologna system and in many respects about returning to the Soviet standard, which was also in the system of higher education and secondary education. <...> Therefore, rely to all the best that is in the Russian, Soviet schools, by the way, in the entire world school - this, of course, is absolutely correct," Kiriyenko said.

Remarkably, if there is an Exhibit A of an immense power of the Soviet educational system, it is Sergei Kiriyenko himself . A man of many real talents, he wouldn't be where he is today if not for fundamental education he received in public school and a shipbuilding faculty of the Nizhny Novgorod Water Transport Institute. Yes, He is an engineer by education. Russia is undergoing a profound, healthy and much needed rotation of the "elites". I can tell you one thing for sure--people in Russia who developed RosAtom, MC-21 and created hypersonic weapons among many other things, they sure as hell never attended any fashionable Western university or VShE. In general--any degree mill granting useless B.A.s and B.S.s in "economics" or "climate sciences".

This Shouldn't Be Ignored.

In fact, I need to elaborate on the immensity of this news. Yesterday:

МОСКВА, 24 мая — РИА Новости. Министерство науки и высшего образования России подтвердило намерение выйти из Болонского процесса и отдать приоритет созданию собственной системы образования, сообщили в пресс-службе ведомства.

Translation:  MOSCOW, May 24 - RIA Novosti. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia confirmed its intention to withdraw from the Bologna process and give priority to the creation of its own education system, the ministry's press service said.

Here is the key point: 

Болонская система предполагает двухуровневую систему образования: бакалавриат и магистратура. Российская система образования кроме этих уровней включает подготовку кадров по уровню специалитета с нормативным сроком освоения образовательных программ в течение пяти-шести лет.  

Translation: The Bologna system involves a two-level education system: undergraduate and graduate. The Russian education system, in addition to these levels, includes training at the specialist level with a standard term for mastering educational programs for five to six years.

Read the whole piece (use Google to translate) and this "specialist" degree is what makes real professionals. It was always the basis of a superb Russian/Soviet education which was also program of study-rigid in providing both an extremely advanced foundation in general science (Math, Physics, Chemistry, Language etc.) while giving a professional training of the highest level. Return to classic Russian/Soviet system is yet another step in breaking the hold of many poor, if not damaging, Western ideas on Russia's life and this one is huge. You want some "elective" courses in dancing or acting while studying for engineer? Good, only on your own expense and time, otherwise, go and take entrance exams to profile colleges. It is also remarkable that it was Nikolai Patrushev who took an active role in removing this system. 

The consequence of all that will be the return to what Admiral Hyman Rickover was afraid of in 1959:  

Vice Admiral Hyman G. Rickover said today that his recent visit to the Soviet Union and Poland had convinced him that "our really great race with the Soviet Union is in education."

We all can observe today a collapse of the Western system of education through a sheer incompetence, stupidity and malice of contemporary Western "elites". We also see a precipitous decline in what was always thought as a strong point of Western education--STEM. Enough to take a look at Boeing-737 Max and at the killing of the energy sector in EU and the US. As Buzz Aldrin (I believe) said: in 1969 we thought that we would be flying to Mars in 2020, instead we have got Facebook. I may add B-737 Max, LCS and F-35.

So, I decided to give you all heads-up on this extremely important issue. And the sigh of relief in Russia, that finally the killing of Russian educational school is over. Consequences of that will be massive. This is the primer for today. I am physically exhausted for the last two days, so I just need a good day of sleep. So, later I will elaborate on SMO.