Английский язык. Higher education

c) in attending schools.

4. The reform envisages

a) 11 year secondary education.

b) compulsory 10 year education.

c) 12 year secondary education.

PART V

DIRECTIONS:

Answer the questions:

1. What is the main strategic resource of Belarus?

2. What is the system of education in Belarus like?

3. Has the number of students changed in Belarus nowadays?

4. What does the republic guarantee its citizens?

5. What is the aim of the educational reform in Belarus today?

6. What does the reform envisage?

7. What are the main principles of education in Belarus?

8. What new types of educational establishments have appeared in Belarus lately?

9. What does the reform stimulate?

PART VI

DIRECTIONS:

Read the text once again and divide it into several logical parts. Think of the title to each of the parts.

PART VII

DIRECTIONS:

Put the sentences into the correct order:

1. Belarus is the country of universal literacy.

2. New types of educational establishments.

3. The educational reform.

4. The guarantee of the right to education.

5. The main principles of the educational system in Belarus

ACTIVITY I

SUPPLEMENTARY READING:

DIRECTIONS:

Read the text and translate it with the help of a dictionary.

State policy in the sphere of education

Intellectual resources are the major wealth of the Republic of Belarus. Therefore, development of the national education system is the top priority of the public policy. According to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and the Act on Education every citizen of the country has a right to receive tuition-free education. Besides, attendance of general educational establishments (school, gymnasium) is compulsory and is under state control. Having acquired basic knowledge (the 1st-10th form), one has several options: to continue school education (11th -12th forms) and complete secondary education; or to enter a vocation school (special secondary educational establishments) and acquire a profession. Both options are free of charge.

Special secondary and higher education is available both on free and paid basis. The latter option is for those who failed to get the necessary score at entrance examinations and did not win the entrance competition. The paying students can make use of lax credit system. On the other hand the state prohibits the increase of the places for paying students at the cost of reduction of budget places. For comparison Belarus is the only country in the CIS, which retained the same quantity of budget places at higher educational establishments as it had in 1991. In the near future the budget financing of the higher school is not going to be reduced. This policy is the major guarantor of the accessibility of all levels of education to all groups of population. Besides the citizens of Belarus and Russia have equal rights to education in both states according to the intergovernmental agreement signed not long ago.

Social state policy in the sphere of education envisages also financial and material support of students: a 50% reduction on public transport for students, nonresident students and pupils are provided with accommodation at hostels and boarding houses, advanced students receive monthly allowance. The most gifted young people can also apply for the scholarship from a special President fund on social support of gifted pupils and students.

The official languages of upbringing and education at the educational establishments of the Republic of Belarus are Belarusian and Russian. The state guarantees its citizens the right to choose the language of upbringing and education and creates adequate conditions for exercising this right. By applications of children’s legal representatives (parents or tutors) and on the decision of local authorities special groups can be established at preschool establishments and general schools, where education and instruction is fully or partially conducted in the language of a national community or the study of the language of a national community is introduced into a school curriculum.