Education in Belarus is free at all levels, higher education included.. The government ministry that oversees the running of the school systems is the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus. Each of the regions inside Belarus have oversight of the education systems, and students have the ability to attend either a public (state) or a private school. The current structure of the educational system was established by decree in 1994. The education system is also based on The Education Code of the Republic of Belarus and other educational standards.
The aim of the education system is an upbringing of a spiritually, morally and emotionally rich person.
Pre-School education
Pre-school education is not compulsory in Belarus, but around 70% of children attend nursery (at the ages 1 to 2) and kindergarten (at the ages of 3 to 5) before they start school.
Some kindergartens are specialized to work with psycho-physically challenged children to help them socialize.
Primary and secondary education
Education in primary and secondary schools is required for children from the ages of six until fifteen and lasts for 9 years. After finishing basic education, each student must pass the basic educational curriculum and is given a certificate by the state. Then they are able to enter a college or a professional technical institutions where they can focus on completing their high school education and study to get a professional certificate.
Completion of 11 years of school or a professional certificate allows students to enter higher educational establishments or train in a vocational school; the length of the schooling depends on what the student has chosen.
Higher Education
Higher Education is in constant growth since 1991. Today, 4725 per ten thousands citizens are undergraduates (2011). Belarus has also adopted the ECTS system, allowing more student mobility. Belarus counts 55 Higher Education institutions (45 state-owned, 10 private).
To enter a higher educational establishment a student must successfully pass three centralized tests (and get up to 100 points per test).
There are two leading establishments of higher education in national education system:
Academy of Public Administration under the aegis of the President of the Republic of Belarus
Belarusian State University
Marks
A ten-point grading scale is used since 2002. It's used in primary, secondary and higher education.
The grading scale is also divided into 5 levels:
| High | 10 | 5+ |
| 9 | 5 | |
| Good | 8 | 4+ |
| 7 | 4 | |
| Average | 6 | 4- |
| 5 | 3+ | |
| Satisfactory | 4 | 3 |
| 3 | 3- | |
| Low | 2 | 2 |
| 1 | 1 |
Marks "1" and "2" are considered as "Fail" at school. In higher education "3" is also considered as "Fail".
Bologna process
Belarus is a member of Bologna Process since May 2015. It is considered an important step in the development of the national education system.