On healthcare, education, and personnel. Natalia Kochanova held a republican seminar-meeting in Tolochin
– This format of communication was not chosen by chance, – noted the Deputy Prime Minister. – People who deal with social issues on the ground should hear useful information directly from ministry representatives in the context of their area and regions, in order to solve pressing problems. The social sphere is a kind of litmus test that characterizes the mood of the country's residents. We are discussing how legislative acts work in practice, talking about possible changes and additions. This format allows us to look at our work from the outside and hear an assessment of the activities of republican bodies. And at the same time, on the contrary, representatives of ministries and departments can learn firsthand about what concerns the regions.
During the open dialogue, issues of social development topical for the entire republic were raised through the prism of the Vitebsk region. Representatives of the relevant ministries gave a comprehensive assessment of the social sphere of the region, highlighting achievements and existing problems.
Deputy Minister of Health Igor Lositsky noted that significant results have been achieved in this sector in the Vitebsk region recently. In particular, the demographic situation and the lowest infant mortality rate in the country are encouraging. A reasonable approach is evident in the optimization of hospital beds and home visits to every patient in rural areas. Vitebsk region was the first to acquire a mobile unit for screening examinations.
– Despite all the achievements we have, the situation in the financing of the outpatient-polyclinic link needs to be adjusted, – emphasized Igor Lositsky. – Today, there is also a problem with the follow-up of patients after high-tech interventions. This is rehabilitation work that needs to be improved.
Natalia Kochanova drew attention to the retention of young doctors in the regions, the improvement of the material and technical base, and the quality of care.
– A clear multi-level medical vertical has been established in the country, which allows for quality medical care, starting from paramedic and obstetric stations in rural areas and ending with Republican Scientific and Practical Centers, – the Deputy Prime Minister noted. – We are trying to strengthen the primary care with personnel, we are improving the material base. But there are cases when it is necessary to examine a patient at the highest level. We have 15 Republican Scientific and Practical Centers in the country, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. And I have a strong request to everyone present here: do not be afraid to transfer a patient if there are questions regarding the provision of care locally.
She also recalled that all social service institutions should more actively engage in non-budgetary activities. This reserve helps to solve issues related to repair and strengthening of the material base, and increasing wages.
– It is wrong to rely only on budget funds, – Natalia Kochanova emphasized.
The work of the Vitebsk region on optimizing secondary vocational and professional-technical education, small schools, and increasing the attractiveness of working professions (which affects enrollment figures in vocational schools) was called insufficient by the Deputy Minister of Education Viktor Yakzhik. At the same time, he noted a decent indicator of placing children from orphanages and shelters into families, a good percentage growth in income from non-budgetary activities, and high-quality education in the Vitebsk region.
– Pay attention to the efficiency of small schools, – Natalia Kochanova addressed the attendees. – You cannot overdo it here, optimization should be reasonable. After all, a rural school is a center of attraction and life.
The Deputy Prime Minister raised the issue of the expediency of the functioning of some institutions of additional education and resource centers, calling for a review of the significance and effectiveness of each of them.
The topic of school programs was also touched upon.
– The President has set a clear task: do not overload children with unnecessary information, – said Natalia Kochanova. –
Programs and textbooks must be adequate. The Ministry of Education is currently addressing this issue, and by 2020, all textbooks will be new. It is necessary to involve practicing teachers in the development process to make education accessible to children.
The seminar-meeting also discussed the plans to build 70 kindergartens in Belarus by 2020. Students of specialized pedagogical classes who enroll in the country's pedagogical universities without exams, with an average certificate score of at least 7, will be required to work for 5 years after graduation.
– Next year, a 9% increase in salaries for public sector employees is planned, – said Natalya Kochanova. – But we understand that this may not be enough to some extent. Therefore, today the Ministry of Education has been tasked with considering mechanisms that will allow us to increase salaries and enable teachers to earn in accordance with the results of their work.
She also expressed her opinion on the need to improve approaches to issuing targeted training assignments. When processing such documents, priority should be given to local educational institutions and personnel retention in rural areas.
Further, the seminar-meeting discussed topical issues in the spheres of culture, information, sports, labor and social protection, religion, and health improvement.
The Deputy Prime Minister announced that an organizing committee, headed by her, has been established to prepare and hold the Day of Belarusian Written Language in Polotsk on September 3, 2017. She urged everyone to actively engage in this work.
Addressing the problems related to low achievements in sports, the Deputy Prime Minister urged officials to focus closely on this area.
– Only three components are important here, – noted Natalya Kochanova. – Traditions, highly qualified coaching staff, and material resources. Do not cultivate fifty types of sports, but focus on five where you can achieve concrete results. Like in Postavy.
In a conversation with journalists, the Deputy Prime Minister expressed
the opinion that personnel selection in the social sphere requires a special approach.
– Personnel is the key link in the functioning of any industry. Education, healthcare, social protection – this is work with all segments of the population, from children to pensioners. When a person's desire to realize themselves in a specific profession coincides with the ability to work with people, then a magnificent result is achieved. Otherwise, there will be no success. Our task is to build a personnel system in the social sphere so that young people who have chosen the path of a doctor or teacher come here by calling of their soul. It is also important that their desire harmoniously combines with their character and human qualities. Now we are focusing on admission to pedagogical universities, because without a good teacher, there will be no good doctor or good locksmith.
Olga Lebedeva, "Vitebskiye Vesti". Photo by BELTA.