Minority Language Education in Belarus: A Story of Silenced Voices and Destroyed Achievements

This article examines the elimination of minority language education in Belarus following the 2022 Education Code revision, which effectively erased programs previously available in Lithuanian and Polish in a small number of schools. While nominally permitting minority language study, the new code,...

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Main Author: Kiryl Kascian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitas-Győr Nonprofit Ltd. 2025-06-01
Series:Institutiones Administrationis
Subjects:
Online Access:https://administrativescience.com/index.php/instadm/article/view/155/110
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author Kiryl Kascian
author_facet Kiryl Kascian
author_sort Kiryl Kascian
collection DOAJ
description This article examines the elimination of minority language education in Belarus following the 2022 Education Code revision, which effectively erased programs previously available in Lithuanian and Polish in a small number of schools. While nominally permitting minority language study, the new code, implemented under the Lukashenka administration, restricts instruction to language and culture classes contingent upon formal student requests and official approvals. Given Belarus’ position outside the Council of Europe and the resulting lack of influence from legally binding minority rights instruments, this article explores the relevant legal framework, the Lukashenka administration’s political reasoning and communication tactics, and reactions from neighboring kin-states within Brubaker’s triadic nexus. It reveals how broad discretionary power undermines minority language rights, silences minority voices, and dismantles prior educational achievements within this complex political and legal landscape.
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spelling doaj-art-b66764a5df7f44da985a1dad6062b3de2025-08-20T02:39:41ZengUniversitas-Győr Nonprofit Ltd.Institutiones Administrationis2786-19292025-06-015111012310.54201/iajas.155Minority Language Education in Belarus: A Story of Silenced Voices and Destroyed AchievementsKiryl Kascian0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1777-5895Vilnius UniversityThis article examines the elimination of minority language education in Belarus following the 2022 Education Code revision, which effectively erased programs previously available in Lithuanian and Polish in a small number of schools. While nominally permitting minority language study, the new code, implemented under the Lukashenka administration, restricts instruction to language and culture classes contingent upon formal student requests and official approvals. Given Belarus’ position outside the Council of Europe and the resulting lack of influence from legally binding minority rights instruments, this article explores the relevant legal framework, the Lukashenka administration’s political reasoning and communication tactics, and reactions from neighboring kin-states within Brubaker’s triadic nexus. It reveals how broad discretionary power undermines minority language rights, silences minority voices, and dismantles prior educational achievements within this complex political and legal landscape.https://administrativescience.com/index.php/instadm/article/view/155/110political communicationnational minoritiesminority educationbelarus
spellingShingle Kiryl Kascian
Minority Language Education in Belarus: A Story of Silenced Voices and Destroyed Achievements
Institutiones Administrationis
political communication
national minorities
minority education
belarus
title Minority Language Education in Belarus: A Story of Silenced Voices and Destroyed Achievements
title_full Minority Language Education in Belarus: A Story of Silenced Voices and Destroyed Achievements
title_fullStr Minority Language Education in Belarus: A Story of Silenced Voices and Destroyed Achievements
title_full_unstemmed Minority Language Education in Belarus: A Story of Silenced Voices and Destroyed Achievements
title_short Minority Language Education in Belarus: A Story of Silenced Voices and Destroyed Achievements
title_sort minority language education in belarus a story of silenced voices and destroyed achievements
topic political communication
national minorities
minority education
belarus
url https://administrativescience.com/index.php/instadm/article/view/155/110
work_keys_str_mv AT kirylkascian minoritylanguageeducationinbelarusastoryofsilencedvoicesanddestroyedachievements