The System of Education in the Republic of Belarus

by V. Klimenko

  The Republic of Belarus as a sovereign country has its own system of education. The development of national system of education accomplishes in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, laws 'about education', 'about languages', 'about ethnic minorities', 'about childrenâs rights' and also other legal documents.

  In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Belarus 'about the education in RB' the national system of education includes: pre-school education, secondary school education, out-of-school education and upbringing, professionally-technical education (like college), secondary special education, higher education, self-education of citizens, mastering of qualification.

  The existing in the Republic network of teaching establishments of national system of education consists of 4511 pre-school institutions, 4954 secondary schools, 248 professionally-technical colleges, 146 secondary special and 39 higher education establishments. Besides, there is a development of non-state teaching institutions. At present in 8 pre-schools there are commerce groups attended by 200 children. There are 10 non-state secondary schools in the Republic with 470 students, 20 non-state higher education establishments with 29 000 people and 4 non-state secondary special institutions with 1500 people. State politics in the sphere of education is based on the following principals: priority of human values; national-cultural basis; scientific basis, world-level orientation, humanism, connection with public practice, ecological orientation; constancy; unity of education, spiritual and physical development; democracy; secular character; appreciation of talent; obligatory basic (9 years) education.

Preschool Education

Secondary Education

Out-of-School Education and Upbringing

  Aiming to create complete satisfaction of different individual needs of children and youth in education, spiritual and physical improvement, organization of their leisure time and rest the state organs, enterprises, organizations, public joints and separate citizens can create out-oföschool institutions of cultural-esthetic, technical, sport, ecological and other directions.

  Establishments of out-of-school education have a state support. Their activities are coordinated by educational organs.

  In 1996 in Belarus there were 184 centers of children's creation, 38 centers of technical creation, 29 ecological centers, 24 centers of child's and youth's tourism, 1963 summer sanatorium camps, 527 children's art, musical, choreographic and artistic schools, 271 children's libraries, 481 sport schools (table 2).

Professional-Technical Education

Secondary Special Education

Higher Education

  The aim of higher education is preparation of industry and social sphere specialists. The teaching is accomplished on the basis of general secondary, secondary professional or secondary special education at Universities, Institutes and other educational institutions.

more about higher education

Mastering Teachers' Qualification and Retraining

Mastering of qualification means deepening of professional knowledge in accordance with the demands of scientific-technical progress, economical and social development, and also aiming to satisfy individual needs in mastering your professional preparation.

more about teacher training

The System of Education Control (Governmental)

Before talking about the system of education governing in the Republic it's necessary to study briefly the administrative-territorial division of Belarus. It includes 6 regions (Brest region, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno, Minsk, Mogilev regions) and Minsk itself which has a status of independent territorial unit, 118 areas, 102 cities, 25 regions in the cities. Knowing this the scheme of the education control can be the following (picture 4).

Task Sharing

The Soviet of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus

Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus

Local Soviets of people's delegates and their executive organs

Aiming to make the system of governing democratic there can be created public (social) soviets, unions and associations, uniting the representatives of citizens, educational workers, enterprises and organizations on territorial, professional or other principles. Their activities realize in accordance with the Constitution of the republic of Belarus, legislation about education and about public joints.

  So, in the scale of the republic the main organ of governing is the Ministry of Education. On the regional level the governing is done through the educational administrations, in the areas and cities÷through city departments of education.

  The governing of educational institutions is realized in accordance with their regulations on the basis of wide participation of workers, students, parents, collaborators and social representatives.

  Educational institutions are independent in solving questions on the organization of teaching process, financial and other kinds of activities on the condition of keeping state interests and demands to education, and providing the rights of students, pupils teachers and other workers in accordance with the legislation.

  State organs can interfere into the activities of the educational institutions only on the condition that this activity contradicts the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus or the principles of state policy, or the regulations of these educational institutions.

  Persons, realizing the governing of the educational organs and institutions in their official activities are guided by the Law demands and they are not connected with the decisions of political parties or other units having political aims.

Bibliography

Contact

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