MINSK, 24 August (BelTA) – We will focus on education next year, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he addressed the National Pedagogical Conference in Minsk on 24 August, BelTA has learned.
“Let's (get united around one idea, the idea of protecting our country. This is a country for your children and it should be saved for them. If we take this idea to school, we will do our job and solve the problems that we are facing today," the head of state said.
The president noted that he had heard all speakers at the plenary session. "We will focus on education next year. We must address all issues starting from school admission," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
According to him, special attention will also be paid to the construction of schools in cities. There are many problems with this, the head of state noted. "We have enough schools, but there is a problem. Let's take Minsk, for example. There are many available places in kindergartens and schools in the downtown (gentrifying districts). Young people mostly live on the outskirts, and we begin to churn out new schools there. This is colossal money," the head of state noted.
According to him, the regions are dealing with similar issues. There is not enough student population in rural areas, and teachers have to teach several disciplines due to a shortage of personnel. “We had to close down such schools and to organize transportation of students from villages to the district centers. They demand to keep such schools up and running. Then I have a question: do we send children to school jut to tick the box? They go to school for knowledge. What knowledge will they get if one teacher has to give three lessons in one classroom simultaneously,” the president emphasized. “The same applies to Minsk. We need to organize transportation, if necessary. It will be much cheaper."
