STRUCTURAL INEQUALITY IN EDUCATION: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LITERACY IN RUSSIA AND THE OECD COUNTRIES

In the current period studies of the professions and professionalism are increasingly associated with the measurement of knowledge and competences, alongside assessments of national educational systems. In this paper the authors evaluate the effectiveness of different areas and levels of the Russian educational system in comparison to the educational systems of the most economically developed countries. A study of adult literacy levels across different generations was conducted in order to reveal stability (or instability) in educational outcomes over the long run in different groups, including both those with higher and lower levels of education and modest and significant access to resources. The empirical basis for this research are the results of international comparative studies from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA, all rounds were carried out with the participation of Russia), and the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). The central question of the article is to ask whether the specific features of the Russian educational system exist on the macro-level in comparison to developed countries. Moreover, if found to exist, what advantages and disadvantages do they bring to Russian education? Do educational outcomes change with time? And what are the tendencies of these changes?