OREANDA-NEWS.  February 12, 2008. Education will stay a priority area of the social and economic development of Belarus, head of state Alexander Lukashenko said in his speech before students of the Belarusian State University on February 12.

In his words, this year alone one fifth of Belarus’ consolidated budget will be channelled into education.

The head of state underlined, over the last two years two new regional universities as well as ten facilities for higher education institutions worth over Br200 billion have been commissioned in Belarus. Every year all kinds of scholarships are increased. Starting 2008 academic title bonuses for professors and scientific workers have been considerably raised.

The President remarked, within the next few years new educational wings and hostels for over 14,000 students will be built for Belarusian universities, with Br900 billion allocated for the purpose.

Alexander Lukashenko believes, investments in the development of education, training of qualified specialists are the most correct and truest investments in the future of the young state.

After congratulating the BSU on the opening of a new educational wing, the President remarked the building meets the latest European standards. Well-equipped lecture halls and a genuine TV studio will allow raising the quality of the educational process and the training standards of specialists.

Apart from that, an educational and hotel complex has been built as well as a wing for future lawyers. The head of state remarked, according to the new approach the time of new buildings is nearing its end and the modernisation of existing buildings is beginning.

The previous years were a complicated time of transformation, added Alexander Lukashenko. It is very important that the BSU has managed to return its status of the country’s leading educational and scientific centre, to build up its main wealth — the qualified professor corps and the highest educational standards. Now the government is interested in making the BSU prestige respected in Belarus and abroad and making other educational facilities strive to reach BSU-set standards, said the President.

According to the head of state, he highly values meetings with people, especially sincere talks with students, as such talks allow acquiring a new view, a more systematic approach to many problems, allow finding unconventional solutions to pressing tasks.