BELARUS: EDUCATORS IN FORMER SOVIET REPUBLIC VISIT

One year after the breakup of the Soviet Union, the new independent Republic of Belarus is struggling to reform its economy and education system.

A delegation of four representatives of the Belarus Ministry of Education this week are visiting Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau to learn more about the U.S. system of higher education.

Roman Korseko, rector of the Byelorussion Economic University, said Tuesday the trip is part of the fledgling nation's efforts to develop its "primary resource our people."

"Our first priority is to explore education so we can make new technology and sell new technology," Korseko said through an interpreter. "Because Belarus doesn't have a lot of natural resources, we can benefit from such explorations."

The Belarussians' visit reciprocates a visit last July by a Southeast delegation to Belarus just before the failed coup attempt on Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. Shortly after the attempted coup, on Aug. 19, 1991, Belarus declared its independence from Moscow.

Alexander Kozulin, chief deputy minister for higher education and science in Belarus, has written a book on educational reforms in the former Soviet republic.

Kozulin said Wednesday it's important for his country to establish strong ties with the United States and other nations to learn how to implement educational and economic reform.

"We came to learn the American system, to learn the methods and to use them in our country," he said. "There are a lot of changes in education in our country and a lot of hardships.

"But with the help of colleagues, with the help of our friends, we'll be able to start reforms in Belarus."

Kozulin said the nation's educational system is "strong" relative to other former Soviet republics. But, he added, there's need for improvement.

"Right now Belarus stands on the threshold of a new economy, and we're looking for specialists to teach us and help us," he said.

By severing its ties with the former Soviet Union and its communist system of government higher education is no longer directed by "the party."

"Prior to this, higher education had been very idealized," said Kozulin. "A lot of subjects that were taught were directed by the Communist Party and taught by the Communist Party.

"Now, we're into humanities more and not the Communist line. Before, this question of economics was not stressed, and we're looking for specialists to teach such courses."

Kozulin said Belarus is far behind the United States in terms of technology available to students. He also said far more high school graduates in this nation attend college.

"Sixty-three percent of high school graduates here go on to higher education," he said. "In Belarus it's much lower, about 20 percent.

"Here, there are more choices. You can have any education you want. We're also going in that direction in that students should have more choices in higher education."

Other than introduction of more variety in college courses and more specialization, Belarus also expects to implement other methods for the "American model," the delegates said.

The changes include charging tuition higher education now is free to increase revenue for universities, and introducing separate bachelor's and master's degrees instead of a five-year higher education diploma.

In concert with education reform, Belarus also is continuing to transform its economy from a Communist-socialist system to free-market capitalism.

Korseko said factions remain in Belarus that seek to retain socialist policies and their control over the economy.

"Of course, such economists exist, and there are many other people that don't understand changes that went on," he said. "These changes won't go without leaving alterations in their wake.

"But most economists and businessmen understand the process that's going on. The main challenge is to find solutions to our economic problems. That's why we're asking help from other countries that are more experienced in economic methods."

The nation of about 10 million people is situated between Russia and Poland, with the Baltic States to the north and the Ukraine to the south. It's primary exports are agricultural products including tractors, Korseko said. Other industry includes light manufacturing such as household goods and appliances.

He said that when the Soviet Union was intact, Belarus made up less than 1 percent of the territory and 3.6 percent of the nation's population.

But in terms of production Belarus manufactured 4.2 percent of the Soviet Union's equipment and supplies and 5.1 percent of the nation's farm equipment, Korseko said.

"As far as production, we were one of the top producers in the Soviet Union," he said. "Of course, we'd like to increase those numbers."

Vladimir Varavko, manager of the computer center for the ministry of education, said the republic's primary problem now is inflation. But he said Belarus is in better shape economically than many of the other former Soviet republics, which also must face international and domestic conflicts.

"We don't have international conflicts and internal conflicts," he said. "We have a higher standard of living than most."

Kozulin said it's impossible to predict how long it will take before Belarus is politically and economically stable. "This is a lengthy process and it won't take less than four or five years at a minimum to stabilize," he said.

Regina Strazheva, professor of foreign languages at the national Institute for Foreign Languages, said links with U.S. universities like Southeast will aid the process.

"We're working to establish contacts for exchange programs," she said. "We do expect results of this visit that will contribute to our efforts."