Igor Lalkou: Scolars do not consider Belarus being a part of Europe

Modern Belarusian school does not teach children to perceive Belarus in European context. Igor Lalkou, culture expert, told this to «EUROBELARUS» information service.

Modern Belarusian school does not teach children to perceive Belarus in European context. Igor Lalkou, culture expert, told this to “EUROBELARUS” information service.

The expert came to such conclusion based on the results of the competition, "What do I know about Europe" held from April, 29 to May, 1 among senior pupils.

The main organizer of the competition is by the initiative group on foundation of the European Teachers Club. The international consortium "EUROBELARUS", Office for European expertise and communications, Education Center “POST”, Association for International Affairs (Czech Republic), Office for a Democratic Belarus (Belgium) and the movement "For Freedom" also took part in the event’ organization.

The semi-final of the event was attended by 70 students of 8-10 forms at the age of 14 to 16 years. Contests were held in a traditional style of a known TV-program’s "Travels of amateur" presenter Yuri Zhigamont. The jury’s work was also attended by Ulad Vialichka, chairperson of the "EUROBELARUS", and Andrej Yahorau, director of the Centre for European transformation.

As noted by Igor Lalkou, the reaction to the competition was not positive in all the schools:

"This year the competition was applied by 15 teams, each of them consisted of five pupils and a teacher-leader. Unfortunately, the team from the village Bokshytsy of the Slutsk region failed to get to the game: it wasn’t actually allowed to take part. There was either its school’s administration who did not favor the team’s participation in the competition, or the regional department of education. They were strictly advised not to go, but all other teams took part".

The competition consisted of three semi-finals. "The two were held in Rakov (Valozhynski district of Minsk region), the other - in Mogilev. The first semi-final was won by participants from Molodechno, the second – by pupils from Brest, and the third – by a team of lyceum в„– 1 in Mogilev", told the expert.

During the competition it turned out that the educational process in the Belarusian school has certain disadvantages.

"There were things that students should have known, but they could not answer. For example, in the last semi-final there was a question to tell the name the great Polish-born person, who contributed to the unification of Europe with his activity, though he did not sign treaties on European integration, and his death in 2005 brought together thousands of Europeans who had gathered for the funeral. Pupils didn’t answer that it was John Paul II", informed the expert.

Though, one team reported correctly that it was a Pope, but did not tell his name.

"Also, no one was able to name during two semi-finals a well-known European city, which in the late XVIII - early XX centuries was the Jesuit capital. It is well known Polotsk, but children were confused by the fact that the question was about a European city”, explains the culture expert.

In other words, students do not consider Belarus as a part of Europe.

"There is a problem that is, perhaps, due to the shortcomings of our educational process: Belarus is not considered in the European context, Belarus is seen by itself, and Europe by itself. Pupils have some knowledge about Belarus and Europe, but to compare them and to imagine Belarus in the European context is impossible for our today’s school. This is very annoying, but we have to work on it".

However, the general knowledge of young people about Europe is much deeper today than eight years ago.

"We started this competition in 2004, and then the children really knew much less. Now, the knowledge is deeper, more specific, with each year it becomes more and more solid. Naturally, this is good news", said Igor Lalkou.