Teachers frighten pupils with foreign countries

Head masters of secondary school № 26, 28 and 29 in Brest press on pupils, who were planning to go to Social Initiatives Youth Stock Market in Lublin.

The trip was organized by the Poland-based Happy Childhood Foundation and Brest agency of regional development Dzedzich.

20 pupils withdrew their applications for the project, Radio Svaboda learnt from Dzedzich head Dzmitry Shymanski.

Pupil Katsyaryna says the deputy head master and teachers strongly advised children not to go: “They said we would have problems with further education, we would not be admitted to universities. They said Dzedzich would make us wave flags in streets and police would control us. They even frighten with human trafficking in Poland…”

Dzedzich head Dzmitry Shymanski was surprised: “I don’t understand what could scare them in this trip. It is absolutely non-political. The project Social Initiatives Youth Stock Market shows children how spend time profitably and have fun. The Happy Childhood Foundation organizes different educational programmes for young people from 13 to 25 years old from different countries, including Belarus. They are focused on a variety of themes, from culture to ecology.”

The group was to visit Poland during the autumn holidays. The trip is not cancelled though 20 pupils withdrew applications under pressure, Dzmitry Shymanski said.