Schools in the USSR were strictly regulated by the state and had several levels: primary, secondary and higher.
Primary school covered the first 3 years of education and was intended for children aged 7 to 10 years.
The secondary school provided education from grades 5 to 10 and was compulsory for all students. The curriculum included a number of subjects, including mathematics, Russian, foreign languages, history, literature, physics, chemistry and others.
Higher general education institutions were only available to highly qualified high school graduates. Higher education in the USSR lasted an average of 5 years, and it was necessary to pass exams to be admitted, and the competition was usually high. However, medalists (high school honors students), target students (for example, future teachers from rural areas who graduated from college in their specialty), beneficiaries (from large families, Chernobyl disaster liquidators, etc.) and several other categories of applicants could be admitted without a competition.
Schools in the USSR provided free education, clubs and interest groups, and health care. However, all aspects of education were controlled by the state and may have imposed some restrictions on thought and freedom of choice.
School uniform
School uniform in the USSR was mandatory for all schoolchildren and consisted of several elements.
The main element of the school uniform was the jacket, which had a characteristic style with a turn-down collar and two rows of buttons. Jackets were dark blue or gray, depending on the age group of the students.
Trousers for boys and skirts for girls were also dark blue or grey, made from soft fabrics.
In the earlier years of the USSR, schoolgirls wore brown dresses and a black apron. On holidays, a white one.
Wearing a school uniform was mandatory in the USSR, and students who broke the rules could be punished in various non-physical ways (for example, a remark during the day followed by a discussion with parents) or receive a low grade for behavior. The purpose of such a school uniform was to ensure that clothing did not distract students from their studies and helped emphasize equality and solidarity among schoolchildren.