Overview
袪蟹褋锌褍斜谢褨泻邪 袘械谢邪褉褍褋褜 (The Republic of Belarus) is a land-locked country located in eastern Europe, and is bordered by Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine. Its population is 9,671,400 and the literacy rate is 99.6%. Belarusian and Russian
are the official languages.
Slavic tribes first entered present-day Belarus in the 6th century. The area was claimed by many countries for centuries, including Poland, Prussia, Austria, Imperial Russia, and Lithuania. In March 1918, the Belarusian People's Republic was formed, and,
in 1919, the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) was formed and became a founding member of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1922.
During World War II, the Byelorussian SSR was invaded by Nazi Germany and suffered huge losses of lives, buildings and industry. It took until 1971 to attain pre-war population levels. The Byelorussian SSR remained part of the USSR until independence
was declared on August 25, 1991 and the country was renamed Belarus.
Education
The education system of Belarus retains the Russian model, with some differences. The current system was adopted as a result of a 1994 decree. Currently, the oversees the education system in Belarus.
Primary Education
Education is compulsory from ages 6 to 15. Basic education is 9 years and students are awarded a 袩邪褋胁械写褔邪薪薪械 邪斜 斜邪蟹邪胁邪褲 邪写褍泻邪褑褘褨/Svidetel'stvo o Bazovom Obrazovanii upon completion. Following basic education, students have the choice of
continuing their education in academic, technical or vocational secondary schools.
Secondary Education
Academic secondary studies are offered at gymnasiums, lyceums and colleges. These studies are 3 years and lead to the 袗褌褌械褋褌邪褌 芯 褋褉械写薪械屑 (锌芯谢薪芯屑) 芯斜褖械屑 芯斜褉邪蟹芯胁邪薪懈懈.
Technical secondary education is offered at technicums and is 4 years. Students are awarded a Diplom o Srednem Spetsialnom Obrazovanii upon completion. Vocational secondary studies are 3 years and students are awarded a 袛褘锌谢芯屑 邪斜 锌邪褔邪褌泻芯胁邪泄 锌褉邪褎械褋褨褟薪邪谢褜薪邪泄.
Post-Secondary Education
Admission to post-secondary institutions requires a 袗褌褌械褋褌邪褌 芯 褋褉械写薪械屑 (锌芯谢薪芯屑) 芯斜褖械屑 芯斜褉邪蟹芯胁邪薪懈懈 as well as sufficient scores on the 笑械薪褌褉邪谢懈蟹芯胁邪薪薪芯械 褌械褋褌懈褉芯胁邪薪懈械 (national entrance examination). This examination has been required since
2005 of all students who completed secondary school in an attempt to end corruption in admission to post-secondary educational institutions.
Post-secondary education is offered at 褍薪褨胁械褉褋褨褌蟹褌 (universities), 邪泻邪写蟹屑褨褟 (academies), 懈薪褋褌褘褌褍褌 (institutes) and 胁褘褕蟹泄褕褘 泻邪谢械写卸 (higher colleges). Since 1991, the number of higher education institutions and student attendance
has almost doubled, including the opening of a number of private institutions. However, since 1996, many of the private institutions were closed by the government. Private institutions only offer programs in the humanities and social sciences while
public institutions offer programs all fields of study.
First Cycle
First-level post-secondary programs are 4 - 6 years, depending on the field of study. After passing 2 State exams and submission of a thesis, students are awarded a 袛褘锌谢芯屑 褋锌械褑褘褟谢褨褋褌邪.
Second and Third Cycles
Graduate programs 3 years following a Diploma of Specialist and lead to the 袛褘锌谢芯屑 泻邪薪写褘写邪褌邪 薪邪胁褍泻. Doctoral programs lead to the 袛褘锌谢芯屑 写芯泻褌芯褉邪 薪邪胁褍泻 which are awarded followed advanced research in a field and defense of a dissertation.
Although prior to 2015 Belarus had not been a Bologna Process signatory, Bologna type degrees had been introduced in some Belarussian universities. However, only 5% of students complete these programs. Undergraduate programs are 4 - 5 years and lead to
the 袛褘锌谢芯屑 斜邪泻邪谢褳褉邪. Graduate programs are 1 - 2 years and lead to the 袛褘锌谢芯屑 屑邪谐褨褋褌褉邪. Some institutions are offering a Doctor of Philosophy program that is 3 years of study following a Diploma of Magister and defense of a dissertation.
Now that Belarus was formally admitted to the Bologna Process at the April 2015 Ministerial Meeting in Yerevan, Armenia, all will have to follow the three cycle Bologna-compliant degrees which will begin to replace the traditional 5 year Bakalaura
or Specialist degrees.
Teacher Training
Primary and secondary school teachers are trained in post-secondary programs at pedagogical universities and institutes.