Education in belarus

The system of Education in Belarus.

Scientific and intellectual potential is the main strategic resource of Belarus. In 1989, according to the results of the census, 899 people per each thousand engaged in the national economy had higher and secondary education. Thus we can say that Belarus had a developed system of education. It embraced 11,000 educational establishments; 33 per cent of population attended different forms of classes.

Nowadays the number of students attending different educational establishments is nearly the same. The republic guarantees its citizens the right to universal secondary education and creates means for further professional education. It tries to preserve the democratic character of education, paying much attention to common human values, developing independent critical thinking instead of simple perception of information.

The republic has reformed its system of education with the aim of creating an independent, qualitatively new national school, corresponding to international standards and ensuring each citizen the right to the high-quality education according to his abilities and inclinations.

The reform envisaged a continuity of study at all stages, such as pre-school, secondary school, vocational training and specialized secondary school, and at the higher school level. It gives teachers and students freedom in the choice of educational forms and methods, while the results must correspond to the state educational standards.

Education in Belarus consists of some levels. The first level is known as kindergarten. Children at the age of 3 to 6 attend it. The second level is primary school and 6-10-year-olds go there. The following level is secondary school and if you are 10-15-year-olds you study at 5-9 forms. After secondary school you may enter high school or lyceum and college and study there for 2 years (15-17-year-olds).

After primary, secondary and high schools students take compulsory subjects. At first they sit 3 exams: Maths, the Russian and Belarusian Languages. At the end of the 9^th year of education they sit 4 exams: Maths, the Russian and Belarusian languages and History of Belarus. They get GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) and may go to lyceum or college or continue their education at high school. All the subjects at secondary school are compulsory. Leaving high school pupils sit 3 exams: 2 compulsory – Maths and one of the languages Russian or Belarusian, and one optional (since 2012 students will take 3 compulsory exams. They will have English as a compulsory exam.).

Besides comprehensive schools students can study at gymnasia. Entrance to gymnasia is based on the competitive exams. All the schools in Belarus are free of charge. They are mixed-sex schools although it is possible to find single-sex schools.

The school year in Belarus lasts from the 1^st of September to late May. It is divided into 4 terms. There are 4 standard holidays: autumn-a week; winter- 2 weeks; spring-a week; summer-3 months. Students study 5 days a week. Generally school day starts at 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. and finishes at 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. students usually have 6 or 7 lessons a day. They study such subjects as Mathematics, Literatures – Russian and Belarusian, History, a foreign language, Geography, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, PE, Art, Music, Drama and others.

Graduating from high schools pupils usually enter universities and institutes. To enter these ones it is necessary to pass 3 centralized tests.

The main principles of the educational system in Belarus are the priority of human values, national culture as the basis of education, humanism, sense of ecological purpose, scientific basis, democracy, support of gifted children and others.

There have been changes in the organization of education itself. New types of educational establishments have appeared: gymnasia, lyceum, experimental school, college. There appeared non-state-owned schools of various kinds, private kindergartens, schools at home and commercial institutes.