8) EDUCATION
In Slovakia school attendance is compulsory from the age of 6 to 16.
After nursery schools and kindergartens, children start to attend an elementary school at the age of 6.
When they are 15, they have to pass entrance exams to continue their studies at secondary schools. There are different types of secondary schools, such as grammar school (called gymnázium), business, technical, medical and other types of vocational schools. The study usually lasts 4 years and ends with aschool-leaving exam called maturita. Some subjects are compulsory, others are elective. Vocational school students must also take some practical lessons outside their schools, called the practice.
After finishing study at secondary schools, students can get ajob or apply to study at university. In most cases, they have to take an entrance exam to get in. Astudy at university takes 5 or 6 years and finishes with graduation where graduates are given diplomas.
Aschool year in Slovakia starts the first week of September and finishes the last week of June. In between, there are afew days off, winter, spring and summer holidays.
Students get school reports at the end of January and June and are assessed by marks from 1 to 5 (one being the best, five being the worst). If astudent gets a5 in June, he can take amake-up exam to try once again to pass.
Schools offer many extracurricular activities such as clubs, sports etc. Most schools in Slovakia have their own gym, school canteen and sometimes a swimming pool, school playground, language school, sauna and fitness centre.
MY SCHOOL
Istudy at the Secondary Medical School (Secondary Vocational School of Health Care)in Banská Bystrica. Iam in the ... (1st/2nd/3rd/ 4th) school year and Istudy to be apharmaceutical technician.
In our school, there are about 600 students (full-time and part-time). We all study here to become
· masseurs,
· nursing assistants,
· medical laboratory technicians,
· pharmaceutical technicians and
· rescuers.
We learn different subjects here. The most favourite subjects are ... (Physical Education, Nursing, Biology, Slovak language and Literature, English language, Somatology). The least favourite subjects are ... (Social Care, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Computers) because they are ... (boring, uninteresting, hard).
The teachers at our school are ... (friendly, creative, clever, hard-working, flexible, strict, fair, tolerant, responsible, liberal, authoritative, intelligent, informed, educated, interesting, interested).
The students are ..., but some of them are ... (lazy and crazy).
This school is coeducational (i.e. students of both sexes are educated together). There are more girls here which is good for boys and teachers because they are ... (more hard-working, beautiful).
We also have practical lessons where we practise our skills for future jobs. (Once/Twice/Three times aweek ) we have practical trainings to do our practice. We often go to ... (medical centres, hospitals, hospices,spas, old people´s houses, pharmacies).
Ithink/In my opinion/According to some students, this school is good and useful for our future life. Ilike ...... the best.
MASSEUR is able- to apply massages of different types (classical, reflex, sport, hydro, manual lympho-drainage, etc.)
- to apply therapies (thermal, water)
- to apply wrappings/wraps (paraffin, peat (rašelina), mud (bahno) )
- to do reconditioning and relaxation exercises
- to give advice on health condition improvement and prevention
NURSING ASSISTANT is able
· to carry out basic nursing, assistance and administration
in medical and social care facilities (establishments)
· to satisfy bio-, psycho- and social needs of patients
· to assist in diagnostic and curative regime /reiži:m/
· to participate in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention
· to give first aid
· to keep administration and documentation
Students
· are taught general and special medical subjects
· have to pass aschool-leaving (maturita) exam
MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN is able
- to work in laboratories of different types, e.g. microbiology, epidemiology, hygienics, histology, clinical biochemistry, haematology and transfusiology
- to work in a forensic lab
- to help doctors to reveal illnesses
- to find out the reason for death
- to analyse body fluids (blood, urine, stool)
- to help in medical research
PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNICIAN is able :
· to work in pharmacies of all types
· to work in manufacturing facilities for pharmaceuticals and medical supplies
· to prepare medications (medicaments/medicines) such as tablets, pills, capsules, suppositories, ointments, syrups, solutions, eye/ear/nose drops etc.
· to use and operate machines for the preparation and control of pharmaceuticals
QUESTIONS:
1. How long is compulsory school attendance in Slovakia?
2. What is the difference between high school and university?
3. What school do you attend? Which year are you in?
4. What kinds of secondary schools are in your town?
5. How is the school year organised in Slovakia?
6. What extracurricular activities does your school offer?