Minister of Education Mikhail Zhuravkov assessed the readiness of PSU for inclusion in the "University of the Future" project
Engaging Youth in Sports
Athletics is called the queen of sports, and the search for talents for it was decided to be carried out throughout the country. In all corners of Belarus, physical education teachers tested primary school students to determine their aptitude for sports. Thus, last year, out of more than 200,000 children, 300 of the most gifted passed the casting. Under the supervision of specialists, they will be trained to become Olympic champions. The selection of young stars will continue: 300 people every year.
The sports and mass event "300 Talents for the Queen" is held on the initiative of the Athletics Federation within the framework of the memorandum of understanding and cooperation signed with the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, and the Republican Center for Physical Education and Sports of Students and Cadets. The campaign was also supported by the company "Belgosstrakh", which allocated 1 billion undenominated rubles for its implementation.
– This wonderful project is needed not only to identify talents but also to generally involve youth in athletics, which is the basis of all other disciplines, – said Mikhail Zhuravkov at the grand opening of the competition in Novopolotsk.
He congratulated the participants on their victory in the first stage of selection and wished them bright, interesting starts, and thanked the mentors who instill a love for sports in children. The Minister emphasized that physical education develops willpower, discipline, self-control, and is simply necessary for the harmonious development of personality. Therefore, the main goal of the project is to engage as many children as possible. Those who did not make it to the finals will also be noticed by specialists: the database collected for athletics is actively used today in skiing, biathlon, rowing, and other sports.
– We are giving the children a chance to prove themselves, showing how much wonderful youth there is in every region of our country. Last year, 40% of rural children passed the selection, – noted the Chairman of the Belarusian Athletics Federation, Deputy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, Olympic medalist Vadim Devyatovsky.
The second stage of the project brought together more than 400 students in grades 1-4 from Polotsk, Rossony, Verkhnedvinsk, Ushachy districts and Novopolotsk in the sports hall of the Atlant complex. They competed in standing long jump, ball throw, and running. Those who showed the best results will go to training camps in Gorodok, and at the end of the year they will take part in the final event in Minsk.
What is the university of the future?
At PSU, the Minister of Education visited the new building in the village of Mezhirechye, where the faculties of Law and Sports Pedagogy are located.
– This is a solid, European level, students can only be envied, – this is how Mikhail Zhuravkov assessed the base created here, and called the PSU management creative and open to new trends.
In general, according to the minister, the Polotsk university is one of the leading in the country in its fields, it is moving forward, not losing its positions, and is famous for its innovative developments and scientific schools. This means it is suitable for inclusion in the new project "University of the Future", which is currently being developed by the ministry.
At the meeting with students, Mikhail Anatolyevich shared his vision of current problems.
– Today, technologies are changing so rapidly that it is necessary to learn throughout your life: to go to graduate school, get a second and third degree, improve your qualifications. Your future is being laid here. To achieve success, you need to make great efforts, – said Mikhail Zhuravkov.
According to him, the issue of selecting the necessary knowledge from an endless flow of information is acute. The teacher must teach this, and his role in the modern university is changing: he is an expert, a wise mentor whom young people trust.
Students should also actively participate in
university process: to show initiative, to propose new forms of teaching and methods of presenting material. But academic freedoms, which we should borrow from the educational system of the single European space, according to the minister, do not mean permissiveness. The dialogue should be constructive and mutually respectful.In addition, Mikhail Anatolyevich drew attention to the importance of the educational component. An educated person is distinguished not only by a set of knowledge, but also by intelligence and patriotism.
– We want you – young, beautiful, smart – to benefit your country, to find your place here, – the minister noted, touching upon the issue of brain drain abroad.
Larisa Malashenya, "Vitebskiye Vesti". Photo by Victoria Kuklina.