News & Events in Belarus

ALEXANDRIA, 1 September (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko attended a back-to-school ceremony at the Alexandria secondary school in Shklov District to mark Knowledge Day on 1 September, BelTA informs.

“The 1^st of September begins with the first bell and remains with us forever. For me it is very important to share this day with you,” said Alexander Lukashenko.

According to the head of state, the Alexandria school occupies a special place in his life. As a student he also attended such back-to-school ceremonies in anticipation of the coming school year. "My heart keeps a lot of impressions and personal experiences associated with those events. They all became dear memories to me. Your school years will become the same for you,” the president said.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, it is always important for adults that children realize the value of school time. They should understand that lessons and exams are a kind of a rehearsal of the adulthood. “To go through this path with dignity and remember it with joy, we should treasure every moment of it now, take with gratitude everything that the school gives to us, including difficulties,” the head of state said. They teach us to overcome doubts and uncertainties, build relationships with classmates and teachers, the president explained. “This is the valuable experience that will become a serious support for you in the future. This is your first life experience,” he said.

"Here and now, you have teachers who will always give you a chance to correct mistakes and will help you find a way out of any situation, support and direct you. As practice shows, the most demanding but attentive and wise teachers remain forever in the memory of their students. They often become a guide in the choice of the future profession,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

The head of state noted that people do not always have a person nearby who will help and lead through life. The president addressed teachers and parents: “In the case when our children have no one nearby to help, you must teach them now how to orientate themselves in life and show them how to act and make the right decisions even in most difficult situations.”

“The speed of life is incredibly high. It has increased significantly if we compare it with the times when we were at school. Today we have to make decisions quickly, and we need to teach our little Belarusians to make right and prompt decisions,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

The head of state emphasized the fact that many graduates of the Alexandria school became its teachers. There are pedagogical dynasties here. After graduating from the university the president also returned to the school to take his first professional steps.

Alexander Lukashenko added that whatever modern schoolchildren dream of is possible. “The key to your confident future is knowledge. You cannot do without knowledge. This should be knowledge not for the sake of school marks, but for the sake of achieving high goals. It should be not that superficial information that is available in any gadget, on the internet, but the in-depth study of the subjects,” he said.

“Yes, we live in the age of information technology. Taking a look into the gadget, we can instantly get an answer to any question. This, however, is not the way that makes a person smarter and more educated. What makes them such is logical thinking, the ability to reason and draw the right conclusions, relying on their own intellect and erudition. They need to be developed at school, and their teachers and parents are the best assistants on this path,” the head of state said.

The president is confident that the new school year will be successful for the children if they immediately embark on serious work. “However, plunging into the world of knowledge, do not forget that this is not the only thing that will be important throughout your life. Physical activity is the best rest after mental workload. Socialize, spend free time outdoors and do sports. You have all necessary conditions for it,” said Alexander Lukashenko.

The president wished every success at school to the students and understanding and wisdom to teachers and parents.