October 9, a two-day field meeting of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Belarus is taking place in Mogilev.

Among its participants are the leadership of the Central Election Commission; Ministry of Education; Standing Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus on Education, Science, Culture and Social Development; regional and Minsk city executive committees; deputies of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, heads of the main departments of ideological work and youth affairs of the regional and Minsk city executive committees.

The focus is on the upcoming election campaign, which has a number of features. In 2024, a single voting day will be held for the first time, the composition of the parliament will be formed, and citizens will elect deputies to local councils at various levels. Among the innovations is also the formation of the composition of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly.

Also on the agenda is the election of the Youth Council under the Central Election Commission of Belarus, the signing of a plan of joint activities with the Ministry of Education to improve the legal culture of youth for 2024-2025.

The program also includes such important events as the first meeting of the Youth Council, a meeting of the Chairman of the Central Election Commission with social activists of the region, an open dialogue between students of the A.A. Kuleshov Mogilev State University and members of the Central Commission.

Before the field meeting at the Mogilev City Executive Committee, participants saw an exhibition on the development of constitutional and electoral law and an exhibition-presentation of methodological materials for the upcoming election campaign.

In an interview with journalists, Minister of Education Andrei Ivanets said that Belarus has built a systematic effort to educate a citizen and patriot who is responsible for his country and his choice. According to the leadership of the department, it is historical memory that serves as the basis for shaping the worldview of children and youth.

“That is why we systematically reviewed and adopted a new school standard for teaching history. Already from this academic year, 14 schools in pilot mode began to master a new academic discipline - “History of Belarus in the context of world history.” I believe that from the next academic year this discipline will be included in all our secondary schools. Together with the Prosecutor General’s Office, we have developed a series of teaching aids “Genocide of the Belarusian people during the Great Patriotic War” for students from grades I to XI. Electronic manuals have already arrived in schools and the implementation of compulsory electives has begun,” the Minister informed.

The second key factor of patriotic education is respect for modern Belarus and its achievements. This year, the information and educational project “School of Active Citizens” took on a new meaning – the history of modern Belarus in faces. Meetings between schoolchildren and distinguished people are organized. In communication with heads of government bodies and organizations, parliamentarians, representatives of public associations, the scientific and expert community, children can make their professional choice and understand what contribution they can make to the development of the country.

The third important aspect is legal education. A number of systemic measures are being implemented jointly with the Central Election Commission. Together, targeted work is carried out on legal education and the formation of a legal culture. Thus, the Suffrage Olympiad helps students understand what provisions and foundations are laid down in our Belarusian statehood. On the basis of the National Children’s Educational Center “Zubrenok” there is a young voter’s club. Next year there will be a Forum of Young Voters. In February 2024, a single lesson is planned to be held on the topic of elections and the rights of future voters.

During the meeting of the Central Election Commission, the Minister of Education announced that one of the main components of citizenship is the military-patriotic education of students. In this regard, in military-patriotic classes and cadet schools, the task of ensuring that students receive primary knowledge and skills necessary for service in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and in other troops and military formations is effectively implemented.

Currently, about 2 thousand students study in military-patriotic classes, and more than 2,500 students in grades VIII-XI study in 9 cadet schools. Every year, more than 65% of college graduates become cadets in military educational institutions and military faculties in institutions of higher education.

The Ministry of Education provides comprehensive support for the development of search activities. Today, there are 583 search associations in educational institutions of Belarus, in which students study and research the history of their small homeland during the war period based on local history material, they search for and perpetuate the names of those killed during the Great Patriotic War, improve and restore order at memorial complexes and obelisks, monuments, mass and individual graves. In 2024, it is planned to create catalogs in each district with descriptions of objects that will be dedicated to the events of the Great Patriotic War.

In addition, in general secondary education institutions there are 755 military-patriotic interest associations, in which 10,970 children study; in institutions of additional education for children and youth - 213 military-patriotic interest associations with 3,579 students. The department has set a task to create military-patriotic classes or clubs in every school during this academic year.

Participants in the field meeting were also informed that the potential of museums is widely used in the education of children and youth. Thus, there are 1,420 museums operating in educational institutions, including 209 of military history. In 30 educational institutions, museums and museum exhibitions have been created that tell about the fate of Soviet soldiers and officers who fulfilled their military duty.

There are 2,676 museum exhibitions dedicated to the victims of the genocide of the Belarusian people in general secondary education institutions.

“Dear participants of the meeting, patriotism is an integral part that includes the formation of a citizen’s personality, responsibility for one’s actions and the Motherland, and the fulfillment of duties to the state and society. Thus, patriotic education acts as a separate structural element of legal culture, it allows us to improve the legal culture of each individual and society as a whole, and motivate students to implement the targets of the state’s legal policy,” summed up the Minister of Education.