Preparing for Higher Education Studies: Survey of School Teachers, April - September, 2017

The purpose of the study: to investigate teachers' attitudes towards students' and bachelors' readiness for higher education and to identify the factors that influence the quality of readiness. Major investigated questions: respondents were asked about the school they work in and whether they like being a teacher. Relationships with administrative staff, other teachers, students, and students' parents were assessed. Working conditions at the school and the work of the administrative staff were also evaluated. Questions were asked about how the public evaluates the teaching profession. After a block of questions, respondent was asked to describe its school. It was clarified which students the respondents pay more attention to. Respondents were asked to rate their school's approach to learning this year. Respondents were also given the opportunity to name what they would like to change first in their school. It was asked if bullying was prevalent in the school. Furthermore, it was asked to rate the fact that students hire tutors or attend special classes to prepare for exams. Respondents' attitudes towards additional training with tutors or attending courses to prepare for the matriculation exams were asked. The questionnaire block was intended to clarify the importance of additional support from tutors or attending special courses for higher education. Views were sought on the proportion of students in this year's program at the respondents' school who engage in additional learning, and why students usually engage tutors or attend courses in preparation for matriculation. Respondents were asked to respond if they were a tutor for high school graduates this school year and to indicate the number of students. Respondents were asked if the preparation of high school graduates for the maturity exam has changed in the last five years. It goes on to explain what is most important for the first-year student to be ready for college matriculation. After a block of questions, students were asked to rate their school's readiness for this year's college readiness. It was clarified how many respondents paid attention to students' career orientation in school and what students' learning outcomes depended more on. It was asked whether freshers' motivation should be assessed when entering a higher education institution and how it should be assessed. Respondents also assessed the current situation in general education and higher education and commented on current and planned changes in higher education. Clarification was sought on how graduates should be admitted to the humanities program and how many state matriculation examinations should be passed in order to enter a university. The goal was to find out what the minimum score for a state matriculation exam should be in order for graduates to be admitted to a college. Finally, it asked who should receive public funding for college. Socio-demographic characteristics: age, gender, place of residence, whether respondent have completed schooling, education, how many years respondent have been working as a teacher, qualification category of teacher, when respondent upgraded qualification, number of hours worked per week, income. This survey was conducted at the initiative of the Research and Higher Education Monitoring and Analysis Centre (MOSTA). On January 1, 2019, MOSTA was reorganized into the Government Strategic Analysis Center (STRATA).