Educational system in Belarus in rapid decline

Resovietization is finishing Belarusian education / collage by Ulad Rubanau, Euroradio
Resovietization is finishing Belarusian education / collage by Ulad Rubanau, Euroradio

The authorities have decided to put Belarusian education to the test with ideology. They teach useless political economy in the universities, just as they did in the Soviet times, and draw parallels between the position of the president of Belarus and the monarchy. This is an attempt to isolate Belarusians from the world and prepare students exclusively to serve the system, says Roza Turarbekova, Ph.D. in History, Associate Professor and former lecturer of the Department of International Relations of Belarusian State University.

Euroradio asked the expert why this is a dead-end strategy, which leaves Belarusians without critical thinking and deprives them of a chance for a successful future.
 

"Ideological brainwashing"

Читают про президента-монарха и лженаучный бред: катастрофа образования Беларуси
Lukashenka's fan, MP Ihar Marzalyuk was the head of the working group to develop the textbook "History of Belarusian statehood" / mogilev-region.gov.by

There are two courses mandatory for all in the curriculum of Belarusian universities in 2022/2023. These are "History of the Belarusian statehood" and "Modern political economy."

"The courses are read not only for humanities majors, as before," says Roza Turarbekova. "The History of Belarusian Statehood" is designed to strengthen the ideological element in the educational process. A large share of this course is devoted to the institution of the presidency".

"Modern Political Economy" looks really like a re-Sovietization already. Everyone who went to Soviet universities still remembers that they read "The Political Economy of Capitalism" and "The Political Economy of Socialism." Now it is called "Modern Political Economy."

Already in the USSR, it was clear that the subject of "Political Economy" was useless from a scientific point of view. Its main task is to create for students a picture of the world, convenient to the authorities. It may have nothing to do with reality. For example, in the USSR, people were told why socialism was more successful than capitalism.
 

Читают про президента-монарха и лженаучный бред: катастрофа образования Беларуси
"Political Economy" is taught at all Belarusian universities in all fields of study / nihe.by

"Today, the goal is the same -- to create a picture of the world. It is ideological brainwashing. Explaining why Belarus is here and in this state. They will talk about why the Belarusian socio-economic model is good. It is considered along with the models of the United States, the EU countries, China and Russia".

For example, "socio-economic formations" categories are taken from the Soviet course. And on the whole, this picture of the world very much resembles what was once written in Soviet textbooks.

Читают про президента-монарха и лженаучный бред: катастрофа образования Беларуси
Fragment of the "History of Belarusian statehood" syllabus / edoc.bseu.by

Fortunately, there is the Internet and it is possible to escape from anti-scientific programs of the authorities, but it requires additional efforts. So, not everyone will go online. The authorities will be able to push their ideology through education, just as they did with price regulation.

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