Education Flashcards
(15 cards)
What was the name of the organization set up in 1917 to oversee education in Soviet Russia?
Narkompros (Commissariat of Education), headed by Anatoly Lunacharsky
What were the main aims of Narkompros under Lenin?
Free, universal, and compulsory education for all children aged 7–17 and expansion of higher education
How did the Bolsheviks attempt to reduce illiteracy after 1917?
Through the 1919 “Liquidation of Illiteracy” campaign, setting up literacy courses called “liquidation points.”
What role did the Red Army play in Lenin’s literacy campaign?
All soldiers had to attend literacy classes as part of their service.
Why did early Bolshevik educational reforms under Lenin face major challenges?
Civil War caused resource shortages, and traditional schooling methods were replaced with radical experimental approaches that proved chaotic
What was the ‘Great Retreat’ in education under Stalin?
A return to traditional subjects, discipline, examinations, and state-prescribed textbooks after chaos caused by radical reforms.
What was the structure of education introduced in 1934 under Stalin?
4 years primary → 3 years ‘incomplete’ secondary → 2–3 years ‘complete’ secondary, vocational training, or work.
How did Stalin influence the teaching of history in schools?
Personally approved the 1938 textbook “History of the All-Union Communist Party” presenting the official view of Soviet development.
How did Stalin’s policies affect science education?
Science was distorted by the promotion of Lysenko’s unscientific ideas on genetics, which were politically favoured.
What was the literacy rate by 1939 due to Stalin’s education policies?
94% in towns and 86% in the countryside
What were Khrushchev’s main educational reforms in 1958–59?
Introduction of an 8-year compulsory programme (ages 7–15), more focus on vocational and technical training, and expanded access to adult and higher education.
How did Khrushchev try to reduce the rural-urban education gap?
Reserved college spaces for collective farmers and promoted adult education and correspondence courses.
Why were Khrushchev’s reforms unpopular with parents and students?
They emphasized vocational education over academic paths, which were preferred by the party elite and middle classes.
How did Brezhnev respond to Khrushchev’s education reforms?
He reversed many of the vocational education changes and restored the academic education track as the preferred route.
What was the main characteristic of education under Brezhnev?
Continuity and stability—little structural reform, continued investment in higher and adult education, and maintenance of ideological content in the curriculum
