Baranavichy: parents of Belarusian-speaking girls ask Education Minister to ensure their right to learn in Belarusian

Parents of the pupils of the only form with the Belarusian language of instruction in Baranavichy Tatsiana and Aleh Malashchankas, as well as Antanina and Vasil Filipchyks, have filed an appeal to the Minister of Education Siarhei Miskevich pointing that their children have a problem with continuing education in the native language.

The letter says that this year their children Yadviha Malashchanka and Alisa Filipchyk finished the only form with the Belarusian language of instruction at the secondary school No. 14 and applied for learning in the Belarusian language at the gymnasium No. 4 due to a change of the place of residence. However, the city and school officials refused to create a form with the Belarusian language of instruction.

“The Constitution, the Law on the equality of the two official languages and the Code of the Republic of Belarus on education provide us with the right to choose the language of education in any educational institution of the country. Therefore, it is unclear why we have had to struggle for it with state and school officials for almost five months already. All negative responses to our requests about the wish to learn in Belarusian are similar, as if written by one person. At first the officials referred to the average number of pupils in a form, then – to the results of interviews with other parents. Now they speak about creating “favorable” conditions for participation in extracurricular activities... which provide for... communication in the Belarusian language... “in the delineated framework. "We ask for education in Belarusian, but instead are offered some "communication in the Belarusian language" in a "Russian world". As a result, the bureaucratic red tape lasts, and there is no education in the mother tongue. That's why we appealed to the Minister of Education,” said Tatsiana Malashchanka.

Thus, the parents of the Belarusian-speaking girls insist on the fulfillment of their legitimate demands and ask the Minister of Education to secure the right of Alisa Filipchyk and Yadviha Malashchanka to learn in the state Belarusian language at gymnasium No. 4 in Baranavichy.

In the photos: Yadzviha Malashchanka and Alisa Filipchyk, pupils of the 5^th form at the gymnasium No. 4 in Baranavichy