Art, music, labor, and physical education: what parents of schoolchildren in Nizhny Novgorod argue about

      Photos from the archive of "Pro Gorod"

      In Nizhny Novgorod, half of the mothers of schoolchildren believe that grades in subjects such as art, music, physical education, and labor can be abolished. This conclusion was reached by analysts from the SuperJob service after surveying employed residents of the city, including parents of students.

      The State Duma proposed that the Ministry of Education and Rospatrnadzor reconsider the traditional 5-point grading scale for these subjects and explore the possibility of implementing a pass/fail system. Public opinion is divided: 43% of respondents suggested keeping the current grading system, while 38% favored the pass/fail format.

      Men more often support maintaining the usual grades (52%). They believe that grades help children to express themselves and develop: "Grades allow competition, and pass/fail will kill interest." Women, on the other hand, are more supportive of the pass/fail system (47%). They argue that not everyone has musical, athletic, or creative abilities, and grades in these disciplines might unfairly reflect a child's abilities: "Some find labor easy, others find it difficult, and a pass/fail system removes unnecessary complexes."

      Young people under 35, who recently finished school, mostly support the idea of abolishing grade points—favoring the "pass/fail" principle. Among those over 35, half prefer to keep the current system.

      Parents of schoolchildren are also divided. 40% are "for" reform, while 47% are "against." Specifically, mothers more often support canceling grades (50%): "My son has straight A's in all subjects, but a 'three' in rhythmics—it's upsetting." Fathers mostly support maintaining the traditional grading system (61%): "If it's interesting to explain, children will try to get a five."

      Vasilyeva Anna