Lukashenka is called upon to bring back Belarusian language to universities :: Charter'97 :: News

The Francisak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society (BLS) has called on Alyaksandr Lukashenka to reintroduce the Belarusian language as a compulsory subject at the country`s institutions of higher learning.

The appeal has been sent to the head of state by the BLS secretariat.

As chairman Aleh Trusaw told BelaPAN, the BLS leadership believes that each educated person should know well his/her native language and, above all, the professional vocabulary that they use during their entire life.

According to Mr. Trusaw, formerly, a Belarusian-language professional vocabulary course was part of the curriculum at all Belarusian institutions of higher learning and was studied for 90 academic hours.

"At the beginning of the century, it was eliminated from the curriculum of institutions of higher learning," he said. "Several years ago, the BLS managed to achieve its reintroduction, but the course was reduced by 30 hours. However, this past fall many subjects, including the course of the Belarusian-language professional vocabulary, were eliminated from the curriculum of the country`s institutions of higher learning in connection with transition to a four-year higher education system."

The appeal will be sent to the Presidential Administration within the next few days.