Education

Even though Ukraine’s education system is one with the highest quality, the amount of corruption involved in the systems overshadows its high potential of producing successful students. Oksana told me that after going to school through fourth grade in Ukraine, she was already way ahead of the students at her American school. In Ukraine there is such a great emphasis on being educated that they take pride it having very knowledgeable students. They place a very strong emphasis on math, physics, and geography. Oksana told me, “When I came to America I was so advanced in math. I excelled hear, because of the immense amount of emphasis there is on mathematics in Ukraine. I was able to easily be at the top of my classes and I still am today.”

You might wander if the education is so good, then how can it be corrupt? It is becoming more of a trend today for students to pay their teachers for passing grades. This way they do not have to do any work and can still pass with flying colors. Why do teachers accept the payments? For the same reason that other sectors of government give in to bribes, their low paying jobs and need for more money. Even when students have to take graduation exams and college entrance exams they pay to have their scores altered. Families continue to pay for their children’s schools, because of the strong importance that is placed on education.