Professor of medicine agitates for Belarusian language at schools
Professor Ales Astrouski is looking for 14 first-formers to open a Belarusian-speaking class in Hrodna.
A half an hour speech in two schools per day - this is the time-table of "lectures" the Professor of Hrodna Medical University Ales Astrouski has till the end of the week.
"When
a child studies in a Belarusian school and is at the same time
surrounded with Russian-speaking people, it only helps him or her to
develop. Just dare to do it!" — encourages Ales Astrouski.
He
should find parents who want their children to study in a
Belarusian-speaking class within a short period of time. It is necessary
to collect at least 14 applications. This is the number of pupils he
should find in order to organize a Belarusian-speaking class on the
basis of the secondary school No. 32. At the moment there is only one
application - the one from Ales Astrouski. His elder daughter Sveta went
to school this year. If he fails to find those who want to study in
Belarusian, Ales Astrouski plans to organize individual education for
his daughter.
Ales Astrouski: "Sveta will in
any case study in Belarusian this academic year. If they don't organize
the class, we will look for a teacher capable of giving lessons in
Belarusian, and hire her, for our own money".
The Professor got the schedule of parent's assemblies in the city executive committee after he conducted a picket in support of Belarusian language education together with his family on September 2.
"I
felt for the first time for many years that the bosses start to realize
it really was a serious problem. I hope things are going to be on the
move now. We made a desperate step. It was very difficult for our
family, as we felt pressure more from our close people, than from the
above - they said things like "How come you take the children?!” —says Ales Astrouskiі.
Long
before the academic year started, his wife Aksana had tried to find out
in the district education department whether the microdistrict
Dzeviatouka (where the family lives) had a Belarusian-speaking class.
Officials advised to address to school No. 32. The parents filed an
application for Belarusian language education of their daughter on July
2. The first bell rang - Sveta Astrouskaya was sent to a
Russian-speaking class.
There was a similar
situation in this very school 4 years ago. In spite of the civic action
of the Belarusian Language Association, Kiryl Jarashkevich was the only
first-former who wanted to study in Belarusian. Now he studies in an
ordinary class, and learns Belarusian at home.
Photo — European Radio for Belarus, Radio Liberty
