In the USSR there are both general education schools and vocational training schools. Who decides where a person should study and how is the decision reached?

The decision rests with the individual.

The Soviet state s concern is that each young man and woman should choose a profession that suits them and become proficient in it. It ensures this by providing equal opportunities to get an education to all its citizens, irrespective of sex, nationality or material situation.

In the Soviet education system there is no scal­ing of education on the basis of a child's IQ, since that would restrict his further development and in effect bar the way to a higher education.

All children without exception start school at the age of seven. After the 8th year a youngster can continue his education in a general (10-year) secon­dary school, or go to a specialised secondary school, or to a vocational training school, which besides giving a secondary education teaches a trade.

It has been estimated that graduates of vocation­al or trade schools need one-third of the time in raising skills it takes youngsters who learned the same trade right in the factory. And since these grad­uates have a complete secondary education as well, they can go on to college or university if they wish to.