State & government

State administration
The Republic of Belarus is a unitary democratic social state with the rule of law (Art. 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus). The state power is exercised on the basis of its division into the legislative, executive and judicial branches.

Belarus is a presidential republic. The President of the Republic of Belarus is a head of state, guarantor of the Constitution, human rights and freedoms.

Structure of power
In accordance with the Constitution the legislative body of the Republic of Belarus is a bicameral Parliament.

The executive power is represented by the Government - the Council of Ministers, which is the central body of state administration.

The local administration and self-government is carried out through the system of local executive and administrative bodies, bodies of self-government, referenda, etc.

The judicial power is exercised by courts. The compliance of legal acts with the Constitution is controlled by the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus.

The National Flag of the Republic of Belarus
The National Flag of the Republic of Belarus, a symbol of its sovereignty, is a rectangular cloth consisting of two horizontal bands - red band (top) and green band which is one-half the width of the red band. A white vertical stripe (one-ninth of the flag’s length) on the hoist side bears the Belarusian national ornament in red. The flag’s ratio of width to length is 1:2. The flag is fixed on a flagstaff painted golden (ochre).

Education
Belarus has a well developed education system. There are over 4,000 preschool education institutions (nurseries, kindergartens, infant schools) attended by almost 500,000 children (67%). There they study the native language, culture, national traditions. 88% of preschool education fees are covered by the state.

The basic education in Belarus is general secondary education. It embraces the following levels:

• level 1 - primary school (grades 1-4),
• level 2 – secondary school (grades 5-9),
• level 3 – senior secondary school (grades 10-11).

Levels 2 and 3 end with examinations for the general certificate of secondary education. Belarusian children go to school at the age of 6. There are 4,500 secondary schools, gymnasiums, colleges.

The current reform of the system of secondary education will make school education 12-year-long. Students will be able to leave school after the 10th grade.

There are also special schools for physically and mentally challenged children.

After the second and the third school education level students have the opportunity to continue their education at vocational and training schools.

To enter higher education institutions, they must complete general secondary education (all three levels) and take entrance examinations.

There are 42 pubic and 13 private higher education institutions in Belarus (universities, academies, institutes) with more than 260,000 students getting education in 230 fields of knowledge.

The oldest education centers of the country are the Belarusian Agricultural Academy; the Belarusian, Mogilev and Vitebsk State Universities; the Belarusian Polytechnic Academy; Vitebsk Veterinary Medical Academy.

Institutions of higher education provide both free and fee-paying education.

Belarus adopted international higher education standards with the first education stage ending with a bachelor’s degree and the second stage ending with a master’s degree. Most capable students have the opportunity to enter graduate school and pursue scientific research.

The concept of lifelong education stipulates continuous expansion of one’s knowledge and improvement of skills after graduation from a higher education institution. 130 higher education institutions of Belarus provide refresher courses for 450,000 people annually.

Science
The National Academy of Science is the supreme scientific organization of Belarus. In addition, there is the Belarusian Fund of Fundamental Research, the Belarusian Innovation Fund, the Fund of Informatisation of the Republic of Belarus.

Currently there are about 300 scientific organizations in Belarus. Over 30,000 people, including over 830 doctors of science and 3,690 candidates of science are engaged in scientific research.

Particular emphasis is traditionally placed on research and development in the sphere of engineering sciences. Other priority fields include machine-building, informatisation, pharmacology and medicine, environmental studies, agriculture, laser and plasma technologies, optoelectronics, development of new materials with certain characteristics, methods of technical diagnostics, chemical synthesis, plant breeding, biotechnologies, information processing, development of special-purpose computing.

Belarus has a national patent system. In 2002 there were registered 688 patents for inventions and 86 patents for industrial developments. Every year Belarusian organization patent 100-120 inventions abroad, 90% of them – in Russia.

The country is expanding cooperation with international organizations, including the International Association for Cooperation with Scientists from the Former USSR (INTAS), the International Scientific and Technical Center, the International Center of Scientific and Technical Information, the United Institute of Nuclear Research, the European Organization of Nuclear Research (Switzerland), NATO Science Committee, SCOPES, etc.

Belarus pays particular attention to scientific cooperation with Russia (within the framework of the Russian-Belarusian Union) and the CIS states. Other major partners in the mentioned sphere are Germany, Poland, Yugoslavia, China, India, Vietnam, Egypt, Iran, Syria.