In Belarus in 1996/97 there were 39 state higher educational institutions, including 9 Academies, 15 Universities and 15 Institutes. There studied 180 000 students there. Besides, there functioned 20 institutions of non-state form of property with 28900 people in them.
The teaching itself is performed at 11 Universities and Institutes. The biggest institution is Minsk Pedagogical University. In all region centers there are also Pedagogical Institutes. In 1996/97 there studied 72 500 students. In general in the state higher institutions in 1996/97 there were 36200 people at pedagogical specialty, 32400÷at humanitarian, 12000÷at natural sciences, 13700÷at agricultural.
It should be noted that graduates from other Universities and Institutes could also work as teachers at schools. However at the first stage of their work they have to take psychological-pedagogical training on different courses at the Institutes of mastering teachers qualification.
In 1997 the total number of graduates of institutions on the natural disciplines was 2650 people, including 771 people at Mathematics, 106÷at applied Mathematics, 21÷at Mechanics, 490÷at Physics, 91÷at Chemistry, 612÷at Biology, 514÷at Geography, 45÷at Radio-ecology.
There are 6945 people prepared on humanitarian specialties (6166÷by state institutions, 779÷by non-state), including 909 people÷on Russian language and literature, 1562÷on Belarussian language and literature, 692÷on foreign languages, 35÷on Psychology, 61÷on social work, 35÷on theology, 12÷on Philosophy, 23÷on the theory of social-political relations, 750 ö on history, 2740÷on Jurisprudence, 45÷on Sociology.
In 1997 at the higher educational institutions there were prepared 4472 people on handicraft, physical and esthetical education (4440- by state institutions, 32÷by non-state) including 130 people 0n professional education and technical sciences, 263÷on Handicraft, 1098÷on Physical Education (PE), 131÷on Music, 109-on Technical drawing and Art, 794÷on Pedagogy and Psychology, 1488÷on Pedagogy and Methods of primary education, 91÷on Pedagogy and Methods of upbringing work, 239÷on Defectology, 88÷on Social pedagogy, 41÷on Pedagogy and pre-school psychology.
