Education Minister against Introduction of Democracy, Education and Europe in Belarus at High Schools
Source: www.charter97.org
There is no need so far to establish European information centers on human rights and democracy at Belarusian schools of higher learning, Education Minister Aliaksandr Radzkou told reporters in Minsk on Wednesday, commenting on recent remarks by opposition politician Aliaksandr Milinkevich who suggested opening such centers at Belarusian universities.
’Belarusian youths should have the opportunity to get first-hand knowledge about Europe and Europeans, human rights and democracy’, the former presidential candidate said in Strasbourg earlier this week. Named Democracy, education and Europe in Belarus, the proposed project would envisage the establishment of such centers at all schools of higher learning in Belarus. Their operation would be coordinated by representatives of the Council of Europe or the European Union, according to Mr. Milinkevich.
’We have a special course - even at school we study this subject in the framework of the
The education minister said that the government could revisit the matter ‘if such a need arises’.
Mr. Radzkou warned against ‘artificial’ changes in the educational system, emphasizing the importance of ‘national educational traditions, the country`s demand for certain professionals’.
’We follow the changes that take place in the sphere of European education and see how difficult they are to introduce’, Mr. Radzkou said.
