How ‘Law On Postponements’ Takes Away Universities’ Money

Belarusian young men will be able to take post-graduate course or magistrature only after they serve in the army.

Already this year, universities are at risk of losing several dozen thousands rubles, which they receive from the paid magistracy students, Radio Svaboda reports.

“They offered to give a postponement for both bachelor’s and master’s programs at once”

The new “law on postponements” is hotly debated by school graduates, students, their parents and teachers.

“I know that before the adoption of the law, the university’s leadership was formally consulted,” said the deputy dean of a faculty of BSUIR. “Our dean laid out all the points, with which we did not agree. We proposed to combine the bachelor’s and master’s programs, and provide an army service postponement to cover two stages at once, and also to post-graduate students. After finishing the master’s program, we also suggested sending our graduates to a special IT squadron that needs to be expanded (after all, the current 60 people seems peanuts). Still, they did what they wanted.”

The teacher believes that perhaps in some areas a break for a year and a half will not be disastrous for studies. Philologists and historians, he believes, can read books in the army. But for a high-tech specialist a lost year, or even two, is a long time. They will have to literally start it all over again.

“Most of our post-graduates combine study with work. That is, they will not only be torn away from the student’s bench, but will be separated from the profession. Only the simplest cell phone is allowed in the army and there are no computers,” says the deputy dean.

The teacher is worried that after serving in the army, not everyone will return to the master’s program. As a result, after some time, universities will lack teachers and researchers.

The financial side

Paid magistracy brings substantial profit to higher educational establishments. The average tuition cost at the magistracy paid department - 3 thousand rubles and more.

This year BSUIR is taking 156 post-graduates to the intramural form of education, and 53 - to the extramural department. The competition for some specialties (information and programming technologies, system analysis and information processing) - 3 people per place.

A paid department is supposed to recruit 230 post-graduates for full-time studies, and 260 for part-time studies. There are many people who want to continue their education, so they promise to increase the enrollment slightly. Thus, at least about 500 post-graduates will study on the paid basis. Even if we deduct a small number of girls who want to study at the BSUIR magistracy, the financial losses for the university will be quite substantial, at least this year.

The journalists calculated that if the law had been signed last year, about 11,500 people would have fallen under its action, including 6,800 students enrolled in the short program, and 4,700 post-graduates.

What the Minister of Education says

This year, higher educational establishments plan to take 3,000 people to the magistracy for the budget form, and just over 1 thousand - to the post-graduate department. The Ministry of Education expressed its official position in an anonymous comment to the BelTA news agency. In short, “the amendment relating to one postponement will not significantly affect the admission to the magistracy and post-graduate programs of those who are motivated to scientific and pedagogical activity.”

On July 13, when the tests were completed and enrollment to the magistracy took place, Education Minister Ihar Karpenka stated that “magistracy is not an obligatory degree of education, it is for motivated people.” And in general, military service is not a hindrance in education, the minister said.

What do graduate students say

“In the morning I open the website pravo.by, see if the law is published”

This year, Ihar graduated from the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Informatics of the Belarusian State University and was assigned to a company where he has been working for a year and a half. The man passed exams for magistracy. Most likely, he will be accepted to the paid department. As the next step, he is planning to take a post-graduate course.

“In the morning, first of all, I open the website pravo.by, I see if the law was published. I hope to have time to get the documents on admission to the magistracy earlier and submit them for another postponement. ”

“I don’t want to serve in the army, this is now what I studied so well for.”

Artsiom graduated from the economics department of the BSU in 2016. The university had a military department, so he has the military rank of a “lieutenant of reserve”. He works in the bank under distribution. This year he decided to enter the extramural department of magistracy.

“I have an interesting job, education was not easy. I do not say that studying at the Faculty of Economics is “lost years”, but, believe me, it was very difficult to study well both at school and at the university. Yes, I honestly say: I do not want to serve in the army, this was not what I went to school for,” says bank employee Artsiom.

The competition in a magistracy on his specialty is 2 persons per place. On Tuesday, he took a comprehensive exam on 8 topics. Got 10 points.

“So, I think I made it. The official enrollment is on July 12. It is necessary to quickly receive a certificate of admission to the magistracy. I hope I will be lucky,” says Artsiom.

“The master degree is needed for career growth”

Anton, the current graduate of the Faculty of Information Technology and Management of the BSUIR, is already working in an IT company.

“I dreamed of a magistracy from the very beginning of my studies. In our field it is very important for a career, in all CVs they pay attention to education, especially our faculty is considered very prestigious. I need a master's degree and the knowledge that I will receive there is necessary for advancement, for further career growth,” said Anton.

Anton says that, with a master's degree, they pay more in IT companies, and the financial issue is important for him.

“Purposeful people who long for knowledge usually go to the magistracy, to continue their education. So let them get it. It seems to me that with my brains I will bring more benefits than marching through the army squares,” believes Anton.