TRAINING SPECIALISTS OF SECONDARY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AT THE MARI STATE UNIVERSITY: HISTORY AND MODERNITY

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the importance of studying the specifics of implementing secondary vocational education in higher education institutions on the example of the Mari State University. The purpose of the study is to consider the trajectory of training middle–level specialists in a higher education institution on the example of the Mari State University as a modern educational trend. Materials and methods. When writing the article, both general scientific (analysis, description) and special historical methods (historical-comparative, historical-statistical) were used. The use of various methods makes it possible to carry out a qualitative analysis and generalization of information about secondary vocational education at the Mari State University and its branch. The work is based primarily on the analysis of previously unknown archival documents extracted from the funds of the Council of Ministers of the Mari ASSR, the State Archive of the Republic of Mari El and the funds of the Museum of the Mari Agrarian College. Materials from published sources and scientific literature on the problems of secondary vocational education were also used. Study results. In the modern domestic research field, there are not enough works considering training of middle–level specialists at a classical university, as well as the multifaceted history of the Mari Agricultural College – the “forge of personnel for the Mari Nonblack Soil Zone.” The work uses previously unpublished documents on the activities of the Mari Agricultural College from the fund of the State Archive of the Republic of Mari El and the funds of the archive and the museum of the Mari Agricultural College (branch) of the Mari State University, as well as modern statistical data on secondary vocational education at the Mari State University. Conclusions. It is concluded that secondary vocational education in the university structure is an important component for any developing higher education institution. The Mari State University, engaged in training middle-level specialists at faculties, institutes and its branch, maintains its status as a multi-level educational institution and confirms the importance of secondary vocational education in the Russian education system.