16 Feb 2008
New Expulsions in Belarus
Franak Viachorka, a youth activist and member of the National Council in the Board of the Belarusian Popular Front, was expelled from the Belarusian State University after he was not present in two exams due to his 15-day arrest.
January is a usual month for exams in Belarus. This is the time when students are rarely involved in anything but heavy studying and passing exams. Serious focus on passing exams is especially important as the belarusian system of education is rather strict. If a student fails an exam, he or she is given one more attemp to pass, but if the student does not success this leads directly to his or her expulsion.
Passing exams has never been a problem for Franak. The first three exams of this term were easy for him to pass. However, the student of journalism and known promoter of the Belarusian language was arrested for “swearing” (usual formal reasoning to arrest political activists) when he came to the court to support his fellow students who had been arrested at the solidarity action on the 16th of January. As a result, he missed his two last exams and also the second attempts.
The university did not consider the 15-day arrest as a valid reason for absence, even though Franak had already sent a complaint on the activity of the police. It was decided at the university that he should take the exams in front of examination panels.
Franak Viachorka is a son of one of the most known oppositional leaders Vintsuk Viachorka (BPF chairperson 1999-2007). He has been involved in political activities since high school, where he was the leader of school students self-governance. Viachorka is the organizer of the translation of a number of foreign movies and cartoons to the Belarusian language. He is also a member of Belarusian Popular Front. Hardly anyone thought that Franak will peacefully graduate from BSU.
The expelled activist explains in his online blog:
I had to take exams in Russian literature and stylistics of Belarusian language. Both subjects are my strong fields and I was confident in my knowledge. Sajankova and Iwchanka were especially keen to “knock me down” at the exam. The rest of the examination panel silently signed the protocols with unsatisfactory marks. But the silence in such cases hurts more than open lies.
Franak recorded both of the exams. He says that the questions the teachers posed had nothing to do with the study program of the subjects, and the teachers’ goal was to evaluate him unsatisfactory. Moreover, his attempts to find the official study program of stylistics of Belarusian language at the respective faculty were fruitless. It became known later, that the members of the examination panel were threatened with dismissal.
Franak is now going to appeal to court to defend his right to study at the Belarusian State University. Meanwhile, he is calling for an active campaign in support.
The year 2008 has already been full of scandals concerning expelled students. Besides the intricate story of Zmicier Zhalieznichenka who ended up drafted to the army in 2 days, lately two other student activists were expelled – Anton Kalinouski and Tatsiana Tsishkevich.