Lukashenko's demand for new code: equal opportunities for education

12 октября 2021

A new draft of the Education Code was discussed today in the Palace of Independence. The document has been prepared for the second reading in the Parliament. But before that the head of state took another look at the nuances together with the acclaimed theorists and practitioners of the education system from different regions of the country. The new rules for admission to universities and colleges, the national exam and compulsory secondary education are scheduled to take effect in 2023.

So, what innovations are prescribed in the new Education Code? The general secondary education will become compulsory. The centralized testing and school final exams in Belarusian, Russian and mathematics will be combined. This is now called the national exam. The distance learning will only be allowed for universities. But those who studied for a fee will be able to get an allocation for the first job. Previously, this was only possible on the residual principle. In addition to a guaranteed first job, there comes a bonus status of a young specialist. But in case of violation of public order or offenses against the state, the student will be expelled.

The document is ready for review. The profile commission has been assigned to elaborate the code once again for the second reading in the parliament. In fact, today the rules of admission are agreed with all interested parties, and in the near future they will be submitted to the head of the state in the form of the corresponding decree. The Education Code is planned to be adopted before the new year. But all the changes will not come into force until 2023.