Belarus’ schoolchildren down 65,000 in three years

September 1, Pozirk. The number of schoolchildren in Belarus has fallen by 65,000 over the past three years, while the number of first-graders has declined by 23,000, according to official data released with the start of the new academic year.

Belarus will have about 1,025,000 schoolchildren in the 2026–2027 academic year, down from 1.050,000 a year earlier, 1,070,000 in 2024 and 1,090,000 in 2023. The number of secondary schools remains at around 2,600.

About 87,000 children entered first grade in 2026, down from 110,000 in 2023 and 118,000 in 2021.

This year, authorities tightened school search rules. From September 1, police officers and school security guards can conduct random checks of students’ belongings if they suspect a child is carrying prohibited items onto school grounds. Parents or other legal guardians no longer need to be present.

School curriculum in Belarus now features artificial intelligence in computer science classes for grades six to nine. Students will learn how to formulate AI queries, verify the accuracy of the information and work with text, audio and video materials.

Pre-military training will include 10 academic hours dedicated to studying unmanned aerial vehicles and field training exercises.

Ideological indoctrination and militarization remain embedded in Belarusian school education, with around 2,000 “military-patriotic education coordinators” employed in the secondary education system.

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