Officials to filter would-be students for popular professions

The Belarus's Minstry of Education has developed amendments and additions to the procedure that regulates the recruitment of students at high education institutions. Earlier, the government maintained it was not to change the procedure. Under the new regulation, enrollment for "deficit" professions will be possible only with a statement from the local authorities.

The European Radio for Belarus asked Uladzimir Zdanovich, House of Representative Education Commission Chairman, to comment on the proposed amendments. He says "the changes have grown ripe".

For instance, the new procedure expands the list of people who are entitled to the state funds to pay for their education. Earlier, only those who are employed could apply for the state-sponsored distance-learning opportunities.

The new measure also plans to abolish the right of universities to carry out their own examinations on the subjects that are tried during the centralized tests. 

Not everyone has welcomed the crossing of the notion "off-competition enrollment". Those people will prevail only if they have an equal number of marks. Uladzimir Zdanovich comments:

“The members of our commuission said before that enrollment with universities should in the first place depend on knowledge, talent. Other benefits like the place of residence or anything else should be taken into account secondarily".

The regulation also proposes to limit the number of people who can sign up for such popular courses like "International Relations", "International Law". Earlier, every citizen was able to study these professions.

Potential students will now have to get a letter of recommendation from the local authorities..

Application for the centralized tests and the processing of documents will become paid.


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