Lukashenka signs decree about 11-year secondary education
On July 17th, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenka signed Decree # 15 “About certain issues of general secondary education”.
The President’s press service reports, the Decree establishes the 11 year term of the general secondary education and a 6-day school week, in which 5 days are study days, and the 6th day is to be used for organizing sports and health-promotion mass events, professional training and cultural events. The transition to the 11-year school curriculum will take place on September 1st, 2008.
The Decree suggests, all comprehensive schools will teach all subjects on the basic level, according to unified curricula. Students that show interest to certain subjects will have an opportunity to study them on a higher level within the framework of optional classes on the choice of students and their parents.
According to the Decree, lyceums and gymnasia will continue to exist. The order of their activity is established by the Ministry of Education.
The Decree also envisages some measures of social support of teachers. From January 1st, 2009 it raises the basic wage rates of teachers of general educational establishments, special educational establishments (except special pre-school establishments), and the state-financed establishments that provide professional and special secondary education. Young specialists (recent university graduates) who work in these establishments, will receive monthly additional payments. Heads of these educational establishments and their first deputies will receive extra payments according to their qualification category.
“The Decree will create equal conditions for all students to receive quality 11-year education, which meets the needs of the Belarusian economy and the desires of the majority of citizens”, -- the President’s press service says in its report.
