21.5% of Belarus pupils study in Belarusian
21.5 percent of Belarusian pupils use the Belarusian language to study at school, Ales Lozka, the chairman of the Belarusian School Society told the Belapan news agency. The number of the Belarusian-language schools is steadily decreasing.
In 1993-94, 76 percent of first-graders studied in the native language. In 2006, only 18.6 percent of pupils used Belarusian for studies. The treand is observed across the country, with 92.6 percent and 31.9 percent respectively in the Minsk region and 58.6 percent and 2.2 percent in Minsk.
"Every year we lose over 100 Belarusian-language schools across the nation, especially in the rural areas", Lozka noted. The worst situation is in the eastern Magiliow and Homel regions and in the capital city of Minsk where only four Belarusian-language schools operate.
In 1993-94, 76 percent of first-graders studied in the native language. In 2006, only 18.6 percent of pupils used Belarusian for studies. The treand is observed across the country, with 92.6 percent and 31.9 percent respectively in the Minsk region and 58.6 percent and 2.2 percent in Minsk.
"Every year we lose over 100 Belarusian-language schools across the nation, especially in the rural areas", Lozka noted. The worst situation is in the eastern Magiliow and Homel regions and in the capital city of Minsk where only four Belarusian-language schools operate.
