On August 27, a plenary session of the regional educational forum titled the PRO. Education 64. Development Vectors was held at Star Lyceum. Before a few organisations signed cooperation agreements on the training of qualified specialists and the elimination of the shortage of teaching staff, and Saratov State University was one of them.
The reports on the main important regional issues on education were presented by Governor of Saratov Region Valerii Radayev, Acting Minister of Education of Saratov Region Mikhail Orlov, SSU Rector Aleksei Chumachenko, and the winner of the regional stage of the Teacher of the Year competition, the teacher of computer science at School No. 3, Balashov, Dennis Orlyuk.
At the beginning the members watched a video message from the Russian Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov. He noted the particular importance of the teaching profession, emphasising the numerous merits of teachers, whose work has resulted in the increased performance of graduates this year.
‘Thanks to your daily and selfless work, we have become one of the few countries in the world that have managed to minimise the impact of the pandemic on school education. Little is left before the start of the new academic year. We do our best to start it traditionally. At the same time, we understand that in each specific case, the decision should be made taking into account the epidemiological situation in the region,’ the minister said.
Sergei Kravtsov also paid attention to issues related to the introduction of new syllabi in schools and the introduction of regulatory changes that would affect the modern education system.
Then the governor of the region delivered his speech. Valerii Radayev commented on staffing. In his speech, he emphasised that the greatest shortage of teachers is observed today in Ershovskii, Rovenskii, Engelskii, Khvalynskii, Bazarno-Karabulakskii, and Marksovskii districts.
‘I constantly appeal to the heads of municipalities so that they can use the tools of targeted training to the maximum, use the entire arsenal of social support, and find an opportunity to provide graduates with housing. I am sure that the programme for retaining personnel, created by the Ministry of Education in conjunction with SSU, will also help. This project will start in 2022,’ the governor said.
He also noted, ‘Working at school is becoming more interesting. The teachers themselves speak about it. The education is filled with new elements, including digital services. And we have the right to expect a return. It is expressed not only in the high level of education as such but also in the influx of young energetic personnel.’
Acting Minister of Education of Saratov Region Mikhail Orlov expressed his opinion on the topic. Like his colleagues he assigned an important role in it to the new federal educational standards, the testing of which will begin in the region this year. In addition, Mikhail Orlov pointed out that the quality of education had to be improved and enrollees must have more opportunities for targeted places at the pedagogical courses.
Rector of Saratov University Aleksei Chumachenko spoke in detail about the role of universities in solving the problem of school teaching staff deficiency. He stressed, ‘For us, the training of highly qualified teachers is one of the priorities. We have everything that is necessary for their successful education. The syllabi meet the standards, everything that is required for teaching practice is also provided in full. We pay great attention to motivating students to work as teachers; for this the university holds special meetings with future teachers, professional contests, and master classes.’
The teacher of informatics of School №3, Balashov, Dennis Orlyuk tried to look at the situation ‘from the inside’ in his report. As a young teacher, he presented a few assumptions that could explain why university graduates do not want to work in schools, gymnasiumsm and lyceums. Having listed the main fears of young specialists, he hastened to dispel them with his own example, which eloquently proves that the teaching profession still deservedly remains among the most prestigious.
At the end of the meeting, during which not only the participants delivered their reports but also the teachers asked questions and made suggestions aimed at improving the regional education system, the best pedagogues of the 2020/21 academic year were awarded. Among those who presented the well-deserved awards was SSU Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Igor Malinskii.
