Фото: пресс-служба Лукашенко
Aliaksandr Lukashenka demanded that Education Minister Andrei Ivanets strengthen physical education in schools and improve nutrition. According to him, the military continue to complain about the “cohort” entering the army.
“The school system is still falling short physically. The military tell me that the cohort (those who join the army), although it has improved, has not improved by much. We need to somehow shake up our young people, especially school-age children, properly, in terms of physical fitness as well. Therefore, nutrition and physical training in schools. The same applies to universities”, he told the minister.
Lukashenka noted that much is already being done to improve nutrition in schools, but there is no need to pursue restaurant-level standards because there is enough potatoes, meat and milk.
“We agreed that we need to make it so that we no longer worry about nutrition or discuss it at the presidential level. That task was set before the government and you.
I see that we are constantly moving in the direction of trying to offer children an almost restaurant-style menu or something else. Children simply need to be properly fed at lunchtime. We have enough potatoes, enough meat and enough milk.
Therefore, sausages, cold cuts and so on. Something that children can eat properly. Let’s be honest, some families do not pay particular attention to their children’s nutrition. So what they receive at school — a normal lunch — will be acceptable for children and contribute to their proper health and development”, he said.
Lukashenka acknowledged that education issues had not been at the forefront because of the harvest and business trips, but that this did not mean he had forgotten about them.
“There was simply no way around this. So it may seem that issues concerning schools and universities have moved into the background. But that does not mean I am unaware of how things have been developing with the start of the new academic year, both in schools and universities”, he said.
Lukashenka also asked Ivanets about the results of the university admissions campaign, the process of establishing the Academy of Intellectual Technologies, issues concerning the operation of master’s programs, as well as the work of young specialists in their assigned locations.
“We must create a substantial center where the most talented and capable people will study. I emphasize, people. This does not mean that we will only take them from school after 11th grade and admit them, even if they are talented young people, and nobody else. We must avoid this.
Anyone, regardless of age, young or old, if they are talented and capable of doing something, should be able to come there with a specific proposal. And after we provide them with opportunities to improve their skills, study and create something in laboratories, they should ultimately deliver a real product that will be needed by society, our economy and our state”, he said.
He stressed that the minister should oversee the project.
“Our universities operate under a clear system — under the Education Ministry. The academy should operate in exactly the same way. Moreover, the minister should be personally involved as chairman of the supervisory board.
Why should the issues concerning this academy be raised any higher? Especially since that would be nothing but formalism. You will still have to develop these approaches and submit them to the government if, as you have set out for me, the government is to determine certain issues and areas.
This is a presidential initiative, effectively a presidential structure. Clearly, both the government and the Presidential Administration will be involved in it”, he said.
Speaking about master’s programs, Lukashenka, as usual, demanded that Belarus not follow the West blindly.
“The master’s program is another separate issue that I am keeping under control. How are we working on it today? We agreed that we would not chase after these Western standards. But where there is something sensible, we will take it.
If a master’s degree is needed for education, further study, scientific work, teaching practice and for foreigners, then by all means, we can provide such an opportunity. But without getting ahead of ourselves or adopting the experience of some Western educational centers or countries.
We are training people for ourselves. After graduating from university, they should receive a higher education diploma. Then, depending on how much our state needs it, we will consider master’s programs. That is roughly how we discussed this concept. I would like to know how it is being implemented in practice”, he said.
According to him, young specialists should be helped, but not spoiled.
“I asked for the data to be provided to me. How are they doing? What are we lacking there? This does not mean that we should carry them around on our hands. Nobody carried me, and nobody carried you either. We made our own way through life. But sometimes help is needed”, he said.