Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko hosted a government meeting on 21 September to discuss ways to improve the country's education system.

The meeting gathered more than fifty specialists. These included not only the country's top officials and heads of government bodies, but also governors, heads of higher education institutions and organizations affiliated with the Education Ministry, chairpersons of the relevant commissions of the House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic, heads of the regional education departments as well as the education committee of the Minsk City Hall, heads of district education departments and employees of educational institutions from different regions of the country.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “It is necessary to put a stop to all kinds of radical policy changes in the Education Ministry. It is very important. There is the ministry. The leadership. We've determined this wheel track as I say. Don't interfere with the work of the minister and the Education Ministry. They are wise people and know how various matters should be handled according to the law, the legislation, and the Constitution. Let them work.”

Approaches to final exams in secondary schools and to admission to higher education institutions were high on the agenda. According to the president, a lot of sociological surveys have been conducted to find out what all the participants of the university admission process (prospective students, parents, pedagogues) think about the matter and how the education process in secondary schools and higher education institutions should be organized.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “Frankly speaking, I've accepted the Education Ministry's proposals on changing the university admission procedure (we've been through that this year), provided we will revisit the issue once again. When the commission in charge of overseeing the university admission campaign presents its conclusion, when other oversight agencies speak up, and when pedagogues talk about advantages and possibly shortcomings. I bet heavily on it, this is why I've invited such a broad circle of professors and teachers.”

The president continued: “I'd like to hear a principled evaluation of the new university admission system. Has it allowed us to see every prospective student? Has it enabled equal treatment of the prospective students as well as equal conditions and opportunities for getting education in higher education institutions? It is a question of utmost importance.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko also wondered whether specialists and pedagogues have any suggestions for improving the existing procedure in addition to these novelties.

“Here and now we have to determine how secondary schools and higher education institutions are supposed to operate in the future and tackle the key task: enable conditions for professional development and establishment in their own country for young Belarusians. I emphasize: the most talented and promising prospective students have to be in demand here, in the Motherland. It is my iron rule,” the Belarusian leader stated.

Continuing the line of thought, he recalled a recent visit to the National Children's Technopark: “Once again I made sure that we have truly many smart kids, who love Belarus. We just have to support them, show them the perspective of self-realization and career advancement. To put it plainly, we have to set them on the true course.” If things happen differently and some of the kids deviate from this course, then the blame lies on the adults, who are nearby them, to a significant degree, Aleksandr Lukashenko believes. “We are to blame for all the faults in this regard. We are guilty. The kids are not,” he is convinced. “Or some of us cannot think straight and veer off the road.”

“This is why let's start by looking at ourselves. But there must be no drastic decisions after our meeting today,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.

“Today we've finished the conversation about the tasks the education system faces. We are moving on,” the president stressed. “It applies least of all to the education minister but more to the oblast governors. If you hear how you should act, do it. We will be unable to get things done in healthcare or education without the oblast governors.”

Heads of the oblast administrations should primarily focus on practical matters. “The minister and the government have to see from up top how people [on the ground] work,” the head of state said. “Concrete matters concerning schools such as buses, meals, and the rest should be handled by oblast governors and heads of district administrations. Take care of it.”