Education in Germany and Russia
The similarities between the education in Germany and Russia, which the author of the post has mentioned, give a lot of food for thoughts. The author ties in the political history of both states and the history of their education system, which seems rather unusual, yet appear to be quite appropriate in the given case. Indeed, it should be kept in mind that both Russia and Germany – or, at least, East Germany, as it was known at the time – had experienced the era when the Communist party was at the helm and the education system, as well as the state economy and political issues, were regulated in accordance with the Communist principles.
The author of the post brings the aforementioned issues up and provides an exhaustive commentary on the specifics of the Russian and German education. As far as the evaluation of the education systems in both states and the definition of the one that works best for teaching students, one must mention that both the effects of the propaganda, which were strong in Russia and channelling the state finances into wars instead of spending them on education, which Germany was said to be doing at the time, must have had severe effects on education.
Therefore, the conclusion concerning the benefits of German education seems somewhat lacking evidence. In addition, the research of the question could have been stretched somewhat further, with the evaluation of the effects that technology has provided for both states in terms of education options. Though the effects of the political choices made by the USSR are still strong in Russia and East Germany, one must admit that technological advances have opened new opportunities for both states.
Education in France and Germany
The author of the text concerning the education systems in Germany and France has addressed a range of peculiar issues. For example, it was a very good idea to relate to the states’ political regimes and education principles. As a result, the seeming similarity between the strategies applied in education establishments in both states turns to be an illusion, and the specifics of the academic life in each state come out into the open.
Indeed, it seems reasonable that in Germany, which used to be under the totalitarian reign and, more to the point, was once split into two parts, the quality of education may leave much to be desired compared to other European states and especially France, where the principles of liberty and equality have been used for several centuries. It is also important that the author has outlined the stages, at which the education systems of both states started improving (e.g., Guizot’s influence, the effects of Lutheranism, etc.).
The specifics of the German education, which the author mentions as the key to defining which of the systems is best, however, spark some important questions. On the one hand, acknowledging the fact that not all students may be fit for the same type of education allows for creating the environment suitable for a person developing their individual skill and abilities. On the other hand, it seems that students should be provided with the same opportunities for learning.
As the author acknowledges, the German system demands too much from its students, making them take a step that will define their future career at the age of ten. More importantly, even identifying one’s goal and aspirations, one will require the basic general background, which specialised schools may fail to provide, with a persistent focus only on a specific subject.