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Andrzej Pisalnik: Belarusian authorities again want to close Polish schools

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Andrzej Pisalnik: Belarusian authorities again want to close Polish schools

The status of Polish schools is under threat.

Two Polish schools work in Belarus now – in Vaukavysk and Hrodna. Their status is under threat: the schools will be closed if the “parliament” of Belarus adopts amendments to the Law on Education.

The Ministry of Education of Belarus wants such subjects as History of Belarus, World History, Geography and Social Studies to be taught in Belarusian or Russian in schools for ethnic minorities. The list of subjects in Russian or Belarusian can be extended on request of local authorities.

“Polish schools are the only success achieved by Belarus after the collapse of the USSR. They were founded in the 1990s and continue to work well. In the worst case, if the authorities suddenly decide all schools should be Belarusian or Russian, the Poles will lose the opportunity to give their children education in Polish. It will be a serious blow,” Andrzej Pisalnik, a spokesman for the Union of Poles of Belarus, says.

According to him, 3 or 4 first grades open in Hronda every year. It proves the popularity of Polish schools. An attempts to amend the legislation is the continuation of the strategy practicised by the authorities for the last few years, Andrzej Pisalnik thinks.

“The authorities tried to open Russian-language classes in the Polish school in Hrodna two years ago. It provoked protests of the Union members and parents of children. We managed to stop it. Two years later, the authorities adopt a strategy of amendments to legislation. That's how we see it. The government tries to create grounds to close Polish schools in Belarus,” Pisalnik says.

According to him, the “calm” strategy replaced open persecution of the Poles in Belarus. Media reported about repressions against members of the Union of Poles some years ago, the detention of the Union's head Andzelika Borys and the arrest of Andrzej Poczobut.

“It seems to become quieter for some time. We don't see insults or persecution,” the Union's spokesman says. He thinks the fact that the authorities take measures that threaten Polish schools is the result of prohibiting the Union of Poles 9 years ago.

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