Visit to secondary school No. 56 in Minsk

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The Belarusian education system is competitive in the world, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he visited secondary school No. 56 in Minsk on 31 August.

According to the President, the victories of Belarus students at international academic excellence competitions and contests testify to the high level of Belarusian education. Aleksandr Lukashenko said that Belarus is proud of their achievements.

Everything has been done in Belarus to make 1 September a true red-letter day for every school student, teacher, and parent, Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed. “It is important for us to get children ready for the school,” noted the President. “Every school student has a sufficient number of textbooks, exercise books, other school accessories. Sport gear is available in sufficient amounts.” Educational institutions have been renovated, sport facilities have been reconstructed, territories around schools have been beautified, said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The head of state said that a student should not spend 5-6 hours on homework after 6-7 hours at school. Aleksandr Lukashenko believes that primary school students should spend 1.5-2 hours on homework; high school students should do their homework for 3-3.5 hours. It will help protect the health of children.

The President said that the work of Belarusian schools on Saturdays is dissatisfactory. “Saturdays should not be days off, particularly for school teachers. Saturdays should be dedicated to labor education and physical training,” noted the President. He suggested moving all the labor education and physical training lessons from other days of the week to Saturdays. “You should teach children how to use basic instruments like planers, chisels, files, vise, workbenches and so on. You should teach them how to live, you will adjust them to life,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

“The same applies to sports,” continued the President. “Nearly all the students in high school have spine problems. It is not normal.”

According to the head of state, a lot has yet to be done to improve the learning process in schools and universities. In particular, Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke in critical terms about the quality of the textbooks, which are available at present. The head of state mentioned that they will be adjusted by the end of the next year to match modern-day requirements without any frills. The President stressed that it is necessary to make a decisive step towards improving the domestic education system in Belarus. “We have everything for it: will, desire, and, best of all, specialists able to do the job,” concluded Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The President expressed hope that secondary school No. 56 will be an example here. According to the head of state, the teachers of the school could show how to work with students to others.