Choices, transformations and barriers

The study observe the correlation between youth’ educational choices, barriers on the transition from secondary to tertiary education and changes in the Russian reality. The observations began long before the recent transformations in the life of the country and then continued till now. The data for the research projects is composition of state statistics and surveys.

The research studies indicate that: 

• A changing situation led to visible relative levelling of chances of getting secondary education for representatives of various population groups;
• But great differentiation of schools and high barriers were observed; each type of school serves primarily for a certain social group; and children from the higher strata gain more quality secondary education;
• So the levelling of chances of getting secondary education turns out to be only apparent.  It didn’t lead to a decrease of social inequality or to a growth of access to higher education for youth of certain social groups.

Our research of school graduates’ life careers over a ten years period indicates that these disparities remains in human destinies for many years, for decades of years, for all life. 

Differentiation is noticeably seen at school, and then it becomes more distinctive in the sphere of occupational education. It continues in later life trajectories of a generation and is manifested in reproducing and aggravating social inequality. However it is pointless to cast reproaches upon the system of education and to hold it responsible for everything. Here we see the reflection of what is going on in the society on the whole. The institution of education is not to blame for what was so vividly manifested in it. The education sphere is a mirror to our society.