August 27, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka has criticized alleged attempts to discredit the Belarusian education system.
The remarks he made at the Republican Pedagogical Council in Minsk were quoted by his press office today.
He started off by asking why foreign countries are trying to lure Belarusian graduates “if our education is that bad.” “The answer is obvious,” he said. Young Lithuanians, Latvians, Poles and Estonians are looking for a better life in Western Europe and overseas, so “these and other neighbors need our children.”
He went on to say that the improvement of education is often discussed at meetings on economy, science, agriculture and regional policy.
“By the way, the role of science will be significantly strengthened and increased literally from next year,” he asserted. “The overarching idea that governs all decisions at these meetings is the development of breakthrough technologies and the establishment of new industries. To do this, we need qualified staff capable of thinking creatively, solving non-standard problems, adopting best practices, and implementing them in real production and the social sphere.”
According to Łukašenka, Belarus is very serious about knowledge. The government is trying to orient the National Academy of Sciences towards promising, science-intensive projects.
“The [education] minister reported on the results of a check on universities and rectors, conducted on my instructions. Let me tell you that it is just the beginning and no one will be able to sit it out. We intend to put our universities in order in the most uncompromising manner,” he warned.
After the 2020 unrest, reprisals have affected science and education, among other fields. Students, teachers and scientists have often been expelled, imprisoned or forced in exile. Vice-rectors for security and personnel, effectively responsible for maintaining political loyalty, have been appointed to universities. Schools have opened military and patriotic classes. Most private schools have lost their licenses, and the few non-government higher education institutions are winding down their operations.
The pro-democracy movement is campaigning for the opening of education programs for exiled Belarusian students.
