School education quality: key features by Tomsk region educational system stakeholders

In the article the problem of lack of understanding of key features that form the ideaof the quality of education is discussed. Basing on the results of a sociological survey, ideas of various groups of stakeholders (subjectsof influence) about the essential bases, features and deficits of school education quality are considered. The main dilemmas are shown indiscussing the problem. The basic types of stakeholders' focuses on the quality of education are given. The author comes to severalconclusions. The regional educational space lacks a conventional concept of the bases that form the quality of education, as well asfeatures and criteria reflecting it. This reflects the problem of disagreement in educational system stakeholders' interests. As a result,four types of focuses on the essence of the quality education were classified. 1. The pragmatic focus is characterised by the stakeholders'consumer attitude to school education. This focus is vital for such groups of stakeholders as students and, partially, parents. It is basedon the tool value of education, which is expressed in the estimation of education as a tool to reach life goals and tasks, not as a value assuch. Among the life tasks are successful results in the United State Examination and entering higher schools. In this respect theestimation of school education quality is based on the ideas of the utility of the offered knowledge and subjects. 2. The nostalgic focus ischaracterised by idealisation and following the Soviet educational system standards. This focus is common for some school and higherschoolteachers and parents. It reflects the inertia and traditionalism of the representatives of the older generation of teachers and parentswho studied and worked in the system of the Soviet educational system. The basis of the Soviet education quality is the solidity oftraining in diverse school subjects embracing all the spectrum of scientific knowledge. 3. The humanistic focus is connected with theunderstanding of the humanistic and anthropological goals and tasks of education. Here the quality of education is defined by its abilityto develop the person as such, in his/her social, cultural and spiritual aspects. This focus is crucial for heads of schools, higherschoolteachers, and scientists who deal with the problems of education. The basis of the quality of education is the ability of the schoolto develop a creative, happy person able to participate in solving global civilisation problems the humankind faces. 4. The official focusis displayed in the refusal to state a personal opinion on the quality of education and substituting it by official information. Some headsof schools, teachers and educational management representatives have this focus. Within the official focus the informants explicitlyagree with the state policy on education quality saying, It has all been settled without us. The position of the state on the quality ofeducation is expressed in the state educational standards based on the competence approach, which the given focus retranslates.

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