The Main Education Department of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee has commented on the rush surrounding the submission of documents to Secondary School No. 2 in the village of Kopishcha, BelTA reported.
Earlier, social media users reported that parents of future first-grade pupils in Novaya Baravaya had begun queuing a full day before the official start of the admissions campaign for the so-called “school of talents”.
The situation attracted the attention of state media. The district newspaper Prystalichcha recalled a similar situation involving School No. 1 in the village of Kopishcha.
“At that time, parents were prepared to stand in line for days just to have their child’s documents accepted. What is also surprising is that while in 2023 the queue rules were largely agreed verbally among parents, organisers have now created their own set of regulations. For example, the last person in line is not allowed to leave, and missing roll calls can result in being classified as a ‘ghost participant’.”
Liudmila Luksha, head of the Education Department of the Minsk District Executive Committee, said that information work with parents had been carried out well in advance of the admissions campaign through parent meetings, school websites, Telegram channels and information boards.
Representatives of the regional executive committee and the Minsk District Education Department subsequently visited the site and held a meeting with parents to explain the admission rules.
According to Mikalai Bashko, head of the department, the school is accepting applications from all interested families between June 12 and August 15. A decision on the number of first-grade classes will be made before the end of the admissions period. Applications for remaining places will be considered from August 17 to August 28.
This year, Secondary School No. 2 in Kopishcha will admit 275 first-grade pupils, all of whom will be provided with after-school care. Secondary School No. 1 is expected to admit 153 first-grade pupils. Parents have also been encouraged to consider schools in Barauliany, Leskauka and Lyasny.
Under a decision by the Barauliany Village Executive Committee, the catchment area for Secondary School No. 2 in Kopishcha includes the village of Baravaya and part of the village of Kopishcha, including Aliaksandr Yakauleu Street, Amelia Earhart Street, Wright Brothers Street, Vikentsi Karpovich Street, Mikhail Mil Street, Mikalai Kamau Street, Mikalai Mikhailashau Street, Lapatsin Street, Pilotnaya Street, Podgornaya Street and several buildings on Aviatsionnaya Street.
Updated information is available on the school’s website.
School No. 2 in Novaya Baravaya opened two years ago. The educational complex, located at the intersection of Mikalai Kamau Street and Pilotnaya Street, has capacity for 1,125 pupils and includes an amphitheatre, a skate park and an accessible rooftop area. To ease pressure on the two existing educational institutions in the Novaya Baravaya residential complex, another school with capacity for 1,125 pupils is currently under construction. It is scheduled to open in 2027.
