On Knowledge Day, which marks the start of the new school year in Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addresses schoolchildren, students, teachers, and parents.
She calls on young people to stay curious and find their own path, thanks teachers who, despite ideological pressure, continue to teach children to think, and thanks parents for supporting their children and having honest conversations with them at home.
Watch the address in Belarusian on Telegram or read its full text below.
“Today marks the beginning of a new school year. New classrooms and lecture halls, new people to meet, reunions with friends, and plans for the year ahead.
Today, many parents and teachers look at education in Belarus with concern. Schools have more and more ideology and restrictions, while there is less and less room for children to pursue their talents.
When we send our children to school, we hope they will be taught to discover new things, find their true selves, and be given the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them. But they are increasingly given ready-made “correct” answers and told which questions are better left unasked.
That is not how it should be. Education must give children the freedom to think and teachers the freedom to teach.
Today, I want to say to all schoolchildren and students: don’t lose your curiosity or your interest in learning. No matter what, pursue what genuinely interests you, develop your talents, meet new people, and find your people. The knowledge and skills you gain today will stay with you under any circumstances.
I know that many teachers would like to do what they entered the profession to do: give children knowledge, recognize their abilities, teach them to think, and not be afraid to ask questions. But instead, the regime demands that you organize ideological activities and forces you to do other people’s work, repairing classrooms and washing floors. All the more valuable, then, is the fact that even under these conditions, you continue to be true teachers. Your dignity and integrity are the best lesson for the younger generation.
I want to thank all the parents who help their children develop the best qualities in themselves. Today, when schools cannot always provide honest answers to difficult questions, it is especially important that children can ask those questions at home. Talk to your children about what is happening around them and support their right to have their own opinions.
I know that the time will come when Belarusian schools will once again be places of knowledge, growth, and freedom, rather than fear and ideology. Because the education our children receive today determines what Belarus will be tomorrow.
Happy Knowledge Day!”
