Lukashenko: the state task is to provide youngsters with wide opportunities for professional development
Issues dealing with university admission campaign perfection were high on the agenda during a meeting at the Palace of Independence
Starting the conversation, Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that this topic was raised back in August, “Let me remind you that during the discussions, I set one specific task for the President Administration and the Education Ministry: to additionally work out the approaches to organising the final certification for the secondary school course and conducting the university admission campaign set out in the updated Education Code and the university admission rules.”
According to the Head of State, a pause was taken in order to seriously consider everything, “Are we doing the right thing? Do our approaches and to what extent meet my key requirement: to see each applicant. At the same time, they must ensure fair treatment and create equal opportunities for education in higher educational institutions for all applicants.”
The President noted that he was aware of the public discussions held by the Education Ministry and in parallel by the President Administration, surveys of teachers, parents, and all those interested, “It is very important that this poll and its results are not adjusted to your opinion. In a word, I am reported that large-scale work has been conducted. Therefore, I would like to hear about the readiness of the education system, local authorities, and universities for the proposed innovations. Has everything been done to launch a new mechanism as envisaged by the Minister [of Education] from 2023? Are there any problems with it at all?”
Aleksandr Lukashenko asked Head of the President Administration Igor Sergeyenko how optimal these approaches are, “What advantages do they provide for the education system and the country in the future? Don’t they pose potential problems? You should have analysed all the risks and benefits of the new admission rules, taking into account public opinion. So, please, report.”
The Head of State once again drew the attention of those present that the issues raised are of particular concern for our people, “We should not lose anyone by our decisions or, God forbid, push someone away. Our task as a state is to provide, I emphasise, our youngsters with the widest opportunities for professional development and development in our country. Whoever is looking for orphan’s bread abroad, we will not talk about them today.”
At the same time, the President urgently demands that the university admission campaign does not become a lottery or a lucky coincidence for individual enrollees, “If there are any doubts about the decisions being made and you see potential problems, speak up. We don’t have time at all. Here and now we need to formulate a mechanism for the work of the education sector for the future. The constant reforms and improvements after today’s discussion must be stopped! Except for textbooks that you will improve, reform, write new ones, and modernise old ones. In general, this already outrages our people, and it is impossible to constantly change the rules of the game. Let’s finally put an end to this protracted conversation and start the painstaking work.”
