Belarusian Language Society wants to take part in school reform

Belarusian Language Society has decided to take part in the school reform. As said by the chairperson of the organization Aleh Trusau in the interview to the European Radio, the BLS secretariat has adopted a statement calling for extension of the usage of the Belarusian language in schools.

Trusau: ‘If the authorities want to conduct a reform – we shall propose our own changes. We have the right to it, as well as any citizen. It is up to the authorities whether to listen to our proposals or ignore them.

Belarusian Language Society proposes to introduce several amendments in the presidential decree concerning the changes in the secondary education. Firstly, BLS demands that such subjects as history and geography of Belarus be taught in Belarusian in all schools, irrespectively of the language of instruction. Secondly, the number of Belarusian language and literature classes must be increased by 30% in the last three forms. And finally, in the last form the pupils must pass the state exam in the Belarusian language and literature.

Bear in mind that the Ministry of Education has transferred to Russian the teaching of history and geography of Belarus to Russian in all Russian-language schools of Belarus, decreased the number of classes in Belarusian language and literature in the last forms of the schools with the Russian language of instruction and abolished the state exam in the Belarusian literature.