Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko urges to focus on quality in higher education rather than innovations

MINSK, 13 February (BelTA) – It is important to focus on quality in higher education rather than innovations, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting with members of the National Council of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions in Minsk on 13 February, BelTA has learned.

Belarus discussed the most pressing issues of education for almost a year, and now it is time to fine-tune certain approaches. "We have made the final decisions on the admission campaign to universities, school education. This topic has been put to rest. Now it is time to fine-tune the specific approaches. Today we need to give an impetus to universities: education, university science, in other words every line of activities that universities are engaged in," the Belarusian leader said.

By 1 September, the rectors of universities, together with their teams, are expected to make the necessary decisions. The goal is high-quality education, including in comparison with foreign establishments. "Your graduates should clearly understand that the university education in Belarus is the best. Many people who have gone there [abroad] for education quickly begin to understand the difference. Many are coming back, but not all. We cannot allow any vacillation. These are curricula, teaching, teachers and high-quality results. How you achieve it is your problem. Before September, we, namely the government, the administration and the minister, will convene for a meeting on education and hear the progress reports," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

"Our young people should study and work here. Please stop with the innovation ideas. The people will not accept confusion and vacillation in the education system. Therefore, in terms of universities we continue to work in a quiet and calm manner. I would like to re-emphasize important things: curricula, textbooks, and teachers. As a result our universities will graduate healthy normal specialists who will work in the manufacturing sector they dreamed of," the Belarusian leader stressed. “A lot has been done for the higher education system. Conditions have been created. Today, we cherish our scientific and intellectual expertise like the apple of our eye. Therefore, all of us, applicants, students, their parents, our enterprises and organizations, and I have the right to expect returns."

The president also recalled that the motto of the Year of Quality is to surpass ourselves: "To be able to compete in all markets and survive. In other words, we raise the bar of requirements for ourselves and honestly admit where we have underperformed."

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