The main focus in July in the Belarusian education system is the admissions campaign for higher education institutions. This is the period when the first stage – enrollment of applicants in state-funded places – is conducted. At the same time, July is characterized by the least intensive educational process. During this period, classes continue only at the preschool level, while students at other levels are on summer vacation. Furthermore, July in Belarus marks a continuation of the summer health campaign, during which children and teens spend time in various types of summer camps. As a result, July is one of the least concentrated periods for the implementation of ideological and militarized processes in Belarusian education.
Still, the results of the July monitoring study show that ideological and militarized activities regularly accompanied education in preschool institutions and summer camps. Detailed results of the monitoring study are presented in its full version (link to the document). The key features and phenomena of July in Belarusian education include the following:
1. Belarusian universities have completed admissions for state-funded places
This year, Belarusian universities offered just over 33,000 state-funded spots, of which approximately 6,300 were allocated for targeted admission. The current admissions campaign generally upheld key trends observed in previous years, including an increase in the number of state-funded places, a decrease in fee-paying spots, and the state’s special attention to targeted admission. The admissions campaign for state-funded places at Belarusian universities was conducted in several stages. During the first stage, regional universities enrolled winners of university Olympiads. Then they enrolled applicants applying for targeted admission. The third stage involved the main competition, during which the bulk of applicants were admitted to the remaining state-funded places.
In mid-July, universities reported the admission of 5,600 applicants who had chosen to study under a targeted agreement. Medical universities were the most popular among targeted students. All four ranked among the top five for targeted admissions, and the combined share of targeted students at these four universities came to almost 40% of the total number of students admitted through this route. However, targeted admissions were not without challenges. Despite a reduction in their targeted admissions plan, only seven universities were able to meet it in full. Agricultural universities experienced the greatest challenges in recruiting targeted students.
Regarding the main phase of admission to state-funded places at universities, the results of the current admissions campaign appear mixed. On the one hand, all Belarusian universities managed to meet their admission plans for state-funded places. However, some universities encountered difficulties that were only overcome by extending the application deadline. The most unexpected situation was with the admission of documents to medical schools, where shortfalls persisted in most specialties right up until the last day of admission. Another surprise of the current admissions campaign was the difficulties faced by high-powered universities in recruiting applicants, with some even forced to announce extensions for admissions. Agricultural universities traditionally faced difficulties in recruiting students. Although their admission plans were ultimately met, it is expected that the passing scores for a number of agricultural specialties will be minimal.
It can be expected that the Ministry of Education will focus exclusively on the positive results of the admissions drive, primarily on the universities’ complete fulfillment of their admissions plans. However, in some cases, these plans were only met at the last minute, including by admitting applicants with relatively low scores. Nevertheless, significant changes in approaches to admissions campaigns are not expected in the coming years.
2. Results published on the National Study of Education Quality (NSEQ)
In the first half of July, the Ministry of Education published the results of the NESQ, conducted in late April 2026. As a reminder, the NESQ is similar to the international PISA study and currently remains the only tool for assessing abilities other than standardized tests, which primarily assess knowledge. Analysis of the results of the study revealed both a number of positive trends and alarming aspects characterizing the current state of Belarusian education. Among the positive results, the most notable is the increase compared to 2023 in both the average student score overall and in results across all four components of the study. Another positive result remains the high level of financial literacy, which, as was the case three years ago, significantly exceeds the scores for the other components of the study. At the same time, the ability to apply mathematical knowledge to real-life situations remains a significant challenge for students. The mathematical component ranked last among the four areas of the study, with its average score only slightly exceeding 50%. Another problem highlighted by the NESQ 2026 results is the significant regional disparity in the level of functional literacy among students. Study results showed that students in schools in the Mogilev Region and Minsk were best able to apply knowledge gained to real-life situations. On the other hand, the results of the NESQ 2026 revealed serious problems with the development of functional literacy in educational institutions in the Gomel Region, which ranked last in all four components of the study.
3. Ministry of Education announces the pilot launch of a national electronic journal and diary in schools across the country starting in the new academic year
According to the Ministry of Education, starting September 1, 2026, approximately 300 Belarusian schools will begin using the state-issued electronic journal and diary, which are part of the Electronic School system. The positive aspect of this innovation is that the new services pave the way for Belarusian schools to transition away from paper journals and diaries, which remain mandatory. Furthermore, the new services will be integrated with the Electronic School system launched earlier this year. This means that the electronic journal and diary will become part of a student’s digital portfolio, which could potentially store their entire learning history. This should ultimately simplify a number of administrative procedures for students and parents. Overall, it can be noted that the Moscow Electronic School project has served as a model for the new online journal and diary, potentially opening up a wide range of opportunities implemented already in the Moscow education system for Belarusian students and parents. On the other hand, the creation of a new electronic journal and diary could, in the near future, lead to the displacement and de facto abandonment of digital solutions that have been used in Belarus for many years. For example, the non-governmental electronic journal and diary platform Schools.by has been operating in Belarus for over ten years, connecting hundreds of educational institutions across the country. It is clear that with the introduction of state services, educational institutions will be forced to abandon the non-governmental platform.
4. Active ideologization of preschool education and promotion of the theme of elections in summer camps
The active inculcation of pro-government ideology was noticeable at all levels of Belarusian education in early July. This was associated with the celebration of Independence Day, one of the key ideological dates in modern Belarus. Individual ideological events in honor of the holiday were held in dozens of educational institutions. Furthermore, the national holiday was once again accompanied by the practice of dressing young children in military uniforms. For example, preschoolers in the Vetka, Nesvizh, and Gomel Districts were dressed in military uniforms for visits to memorial sites associated with the events of the Great Patriotic War. In Pruzhany and Lida children were dressed in uniforms for participation in local events dedicated to the holiday on July 3. However, the most notable cases occurred in Chechersk and Shchuchyn, where children from various educational institutions were dressed in military uniforms and forced to participate in mini-parades dedicated to the national holiday. Not only young children, but also school and college students as well as Belarusian educators participated in the various marches, memorial rallies, and entertainment and other events held on July 3. The Let’s Sing the Anthem Together campaign, which took place on the evening of July 3 and aimed to demonstrate mass patriotism and support for the current state symbols, gained nationwide traction. However, as in previous years, a significant portion of the participants did not participate on their own initiative, but were assigned to participate by their workplaces or schools. As with other major ideological holidays then, the large-scale participation of the events was largely ensured through the resources of the Belarusian education system, despite the ongoing summer holidays.
A notable feature of July was the intensification of the process of ideologizing the educational process at the preschool level. Throughout the month, preschools across the country were involved in the Children Draw the Motherland! project implemented by the pro-government movement Belaya Rus. The campaign had been held in Belarusian kindergartens before, but in July it became nationwide, encompassing a large number of institutions. As part of the project, children are given coloring books depicting various symbols of Belarus and are photographed wearing the symbols of the movement. The coloring books themselves feature images of the official flag and coat of arms of Belarus, and meetings during the campaign often involve drawings of state symbols. However, the coloring books also feature symbols of the pro-government movement Belaya Rus. In this way, young children are effectively fostering a positive perception of the pro-government movement, whose symbols are associated with the official symbols and representation of the state.
In addition to events dedicated to July 3, other forms of ideological work with children and teens continued at summer camps. New in July were ideological events dedicated to the topic of elections. These were held both as part of the Step to Success project and as separate thematic meetings. During these events, youth activists from the Central Election Commission (CEC) briefed campers on the organization of the electoral process in Belarus and conducted a simulation game in which children and teens voted for the symbol of Belarus. Although these events do not have a direct ideological content, they are geared towards fostering a positive attitude among children and teens toward the Belarusian electoral system and to the perception that it is fair and democratic, which is not the case in reality.
5. End of the season of national games and the conducting of military events in summer camps
The results of the monitoring study demonstrated a decrease in the level of militarization of Belarusian education compared to previous months. However, this decrease is primarily due to the fact that by early July, most major paramilitary tournaments had already concluded and colleges and universities were virtually uninvolved in such events due to the start of summer vacation. However, it is also impossible to say that military education for children and youth was non-existent, as it remained, but was primarily concentrated in summer camps. This work was mostly conducted in special paramilitary camps, which continued to operate throughout Belarus. Paramilitary activities were also conducted in regular children’s camps. In part, this was achieved through visits to meet with representatives of law enforcement agencies, during which children and teens were informed about the benefits of military service and working in law enforcement. Another form of militarization of summer recreation for children and teens is the collaboration between camps and law enforcement agencies. It includes trips for vacationers to the locations of law enforcement agencies, as well as visits by representatives of law enforcement agencies to camps to conduct paramilitary games and demonstrate weapons.
Although most of the militarization of the educational process in July took place at summer camps, other examples of paramilitary activities among schoolchildren and students that were recorded during the month should be noted. During the period under review, several large-scale training sessions were held among schoolchildren participating in military-patriotic clubs. Furthermore, the final of the last major paramilitary tournament, Breakthrough, was held in July and included students from Belarusian universities. Various local initiatives, held throughout the summer, further instilled a paramilitary agenda among children and youth. For example, intensive military training was conducted among participants of the Skif special pre-conscription training center in the Rechitsa District, headed by the well-known pro-government and pro-Russian activist Vladimir Gabrov. And not for the first time a paramilitary component was included in the program of an event organized by the Belarusian Orthodox Church – a gathering of Sunday school students from the Luninets deanery.
6. Active cooperation with China and participation of schoolchildren in major international olympiads
Throughout July, international contacts in the field of education were recorded between Belarus and foreign partners from Brazil, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Iran, China, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mozambique, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Sudan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. A particularly noteworthy aspect of international cooperation remains the very large number of educational contacts with Chinese partners, which has been observed for the second month in a row. It is also worth noting that for the second month in a row, systematic contacts in the field of education have been observed with partners from Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe. However, no major joint events between Belarusian and European educational institutions were seen in July, indicating that cooperation with this region remains effectively static.
A key event in July in international educational cooperation was the launch of prestigious international olympiads. Over the course of the month, Belarusian schoolchildren participated in the International Physics Olympiad (3 silver and 2 bronze medals), the International Chemistry Olympiad (2 silver and 2 bronze medals), and the International Mathematics Olympiad (6 bronze medals). All members of the national team won medals, which demonstrates the continued competitiveness of Belarusian school education on the international stage. However, for the second year in a row, the performance of Belarusian schoolchildren has gradually declined, both in terms of placements and the number of top-level medals won. This result is evidence of negative trends in the educational sector, which may be related, among other things, to the ceasing of international contacts with educational institutions in the highly developed countries of Europe and North America.
7. Propaganda film screenings about Russia’s war against Ukraine at Russian Houses
At the height of the summer holidays in July, film screenings at Russian Houses in Belarus became one of the most visible activities of pro-Russian organizations. Our monitoring studies have noted consistent screenings of films about Russia’s war against Ukraine for over a year now. Currently, this is one of the main forms of promoting and disseminating pro-Russian views on the war. In total, at least 10 thematic film screenings touching on the topic of Russia’s war against Ukraine were held in July.
Premiere screenings of the film Starobelsk. Children Should Not Die were held at Russian Houses in Minsk, Brest, and Gomel. In July, the Russian Houses in Brest and Minsk screened the RT propaganda documentary Scenes from Family Life, or How to Be Happy to commemorate Family, Love, and Commitment Day. The film tells the story of the head of a family who returned from Russia’s war against Ukraine, where he fought in the Terek Battalion. Screenings of various films took place. On July 23, the Russian House in Minsk showed a documentary about the servicemen of the unmanned forces of Russia, Hunters for a Hunter, on July 30, the Russian House in Minsk hosted the premiere of the RT documentary Rescuing from Krasnoarmeysk (the Russian name of the Ukrainian city Pokrovsk), the Russian House in Gomel showed the film Angels of Gorlovka, on July 16, the Russian House in Brest screened the film Second Childhood, and on July 23, the Russian House in Brest screened the film Wives, which is about the families of Russian soldiers fighting against Ukraine.
In addition to propaganda films about the war itself, a screening of the documentary NATO. Beyond Law, Beyond Morality was held at the Russian House. The film discusses the emergence of NATO and contains a number of propaganda narratives. For example, it claims that NATO’s “true goal was to ‘keep Russians out of Europe.’” The film also claims that NATO “is discussing the right of ‘preventive action’ – the possibility of attacking Russia without pretext or declaration of war.” This film is not the first in the repertoire of Russian Houses in Belarus to attack Western European countries and their politicians and present them in an unfriendly light. It is worth noting that, throughout the entire monitoring period such film screenings have never portrayed the Russia-Ukraine conflict in a neutral way.
8. Family, Love, and Commitment Day as a platform for pro-Russian organizations to work with Belarusian families
For the second year in a row, we have noted the active work of pro-Russian organizations in celebrating Family, Love, and Commitment Day in Belarus. This work has also involved the Belarusian Orthodox Church, mid-level officials, and Belarusian public organizations.
On July 8 – Family, Love, and Commitment Day – a ceremony presenting For Love and Commitment medals to Belarusian couples took place at the Rossotrudnichestvo Representative Office in Belarus (Russian House in Minsk). Elizaveta Andreeva, Deputy Head of the Rossotrudnichestvo Representative Office in Belarus, addressed those present with welcoming remarks and congratulations. Archpriest Fyodor Povny, Director of the National Memorial Complex Temple in Honor of All Saints and in Memory of the Victims Who Served to Save Our Fatherland in Minsk, was one of the honored guests at the ceremony. A large family kayaking trip in Polotsk was held in support of this date. A celebratory event dedicated to this date was also held at the Russian House in Gomel. Belarusian families, representatives of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, and the leadership of the Russian House in Gomel also participated. In Grodno, the award ceremony took place at the Russian Consulate General in Grodno. The ceremony was attended by Russian Consul General in Grodno Andrei Varlamov, Archbishop Antony of Grodno and Volkovysk, and Alexander Biryukov, Chairman of the Russian Society public organization. The event was widely covered by regional state media.
9. Competitions, olympiads, and trips for Belarusian youth to Russia
Despite the summer break and the holidays, we are seeing some activity among Belarusian youth in July. This includes various competitions and olympiads, as well as activities related to trips to the Russia.
In July, applications were accepted for the international competition Shared Memory: The Genocide of the Soviet People by the Nazis and Their Collaborators during the Great Patriotic War. The competition is open to Belarusian citizens aged 14 to 35. One of the prizes is priority access to a specialized camp at the Artek International Children’s Center in occupied Crimea in 2027. In July, the Russian House in Gomel announced the start of recruitment for the project The Route of Courage: From Tradition to Technology. The project itself will be held in Moscow from September 7 to 13 under the title of the International Youth Cossack Project. The competition’s unique concept is noteworthy: “The project’s concept is built on the synergy of Cossack culture, military glory, and cutting-edge scientific discoveries. You will be introduced to Russia’s innovative potential, traditions, and spiritual and moral values.” Participants are aged 16 to 19.
In addition to the competition selection rounds that have already begun, Belarusian students participated in programs in July that took them to Russia. From July 12 to 18, Belarusian youth participated in a trip along the Caucasus — North Ossetia — Alania route. This was made possible thanks to one of Rossotrudnichestvo’s main programs, Hello, Russia! We have frequently mentioned its importance and the trips Belarusian youth of all ages take to Russia under this program. Another group of Belarusian youth visited the Khabarovsk Krai in July. The trip was also made possible thanks to the Hello, Russia! program in Belarus, implemented by Rossotrudnichestvo. Belarusian students from Brest’s Pushkin State University participated in the SHUM media forum, which was held in the Kaliningrad Region from July 10 to 13. Despite the fact that travel to Crimea is prohibited in the summer of 2026 due to military conflict, Belarusian youth were quite actively represented in July in trips to Russia under other programs. With contacts with Western European countries in the fields of education and science effectively frozen, Russia remains the most active destination for cooperation and educational trips for Belarusian youth of all ages.
