MINSK, 20 June (BelTA) – Belarus’ education system needs fine-tuning, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said during a ceremony to honor university graduates and the faculty members in Minsk on 20 June, BelTA learned.
“We have agreed with the minister that we will soon take a serious look at some of the pressing issues in education. Frankly speaking, the system will be thoroughly fine-tuned,” the president said. “It is necessary. I have promised not to make any more changes to the education system, because people are tired of reforms. We will not focus on the human aspects any more: we will focus on deeper issues. So that when the current generation of officials steps aside, it will be a bit easier for you, the youth. We will be cleaning these Augean stables. We are not stopping at where the education system stands today.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko also touched upon the duration of university studies. He previously instructed officials to reduce the length of degree programs by reducing the number of academic hours for non-core subjects unrelated to students’ specializations.
“Sometimes a subject requires one semester, but it is stretched over two or three semesters and then students quickly forget it all,” the Belarusian leader said. “We have questions for the teaching staff and university leadership. I believe we will seriously discuss these issues in about a month.”
According to the president, although the overall duration of study has been shortened, this reduction has been balanced by the introduction of the bachelor’s degree system. In Belarus, a bachelor’s degree represents the first stage of higher education, which provides a solid foundation in a chosen field and lasts four years. After graduation, students receive a bachelor’s diploma and may either enter the workforce or continue their studies at the second stage of higher education, the master’s program. This path is important for those pursuing academic or teaching careers, certain professional roles, or further studies at the doctoral level.
“We have increased the number of hours and so on. But this is not the path we should follow. Students should study as long as necessary. If a university program is designed to last three and a half or four years, it should not take six years to complete,” the head of state emphasized.
“We worry about not having enough scientists, yet we create obstacles. And then we add postgraduate studies just to become not a great scientist, but an ordinary one,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
He also recalled that he had once firmly prohibited “chasing after the Bologna process.”
As an example of extended study periods, Aleksandr Lukashenko cited the Academy of Arts, where some programs last six years. “It enrolls talented people. Their talent should be supported and developed. Six years… This is longer than some medical programs. Is that normal? And what did we get? In 2020, they joined the riots marching at the front,” the head of state remarked.
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