Task III. See if you can guess the missing words to fit the context of the text:

The Belarusian system of (1) … education includes educational and research institutions that use unified standards and rules in the processes of teaching, management, assessment and research. Higher education is provided (2) … public and (3) … accredited higher educational institutions. Education in public institutions is (4) … of charge for students who passed the entrance competition. In private establishments, all students pay tuition (5) … . Higher education is under the supervision of the Ministry of (6) …, which is responsible (7) … the accreditation and licensing of higher educational institutions and developing and applying the State Educational Standards. At present, the implementation of the (8) …-level system of higher education is underway, which implies obtaining a Bachelor’s degree after 4 years of (9) … and a (10) … degree after one additional year following the first degree.

Task IV. Agree or disagree with these statements about the text. Give arguments to support your viewpoint:

1. Belarusian universities, academies, institutes and higher colleges can be either state-owned or privately owned.

2. The Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus supervises all higher educational establishments of the country.

3. Belarus operates a dual examination system, with 17-year-old university entrants forced to take school leaving exams followed by university entrance tests.

4. There is a quota placed on the number of budget students admitted to universities and that’s why there is always a competition.

5. Specialization disciplines constitute a major portion of disciplines in the curriculum structure.

6. Students of state institutions of higher education are granted scholarships depending on their academic success.

7. Tuition fees do not significantly exceed education services costs.

8. Finding a good job on speciality is not a problem for paying students.

9. The higher school graduates are issued a diploma and awarded a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree.

10. After acquiring a Master’s Diploma one can enter a postgraduate school and get a Candidate of Science’s and Doctor’s degree.

Task V. Complete the following sentences according to the contents of the text:

1. The Republic guarantees its citizens …

2. Of every 10 thousand people in the Republic of Belarus …

3. After completing secondary education young people can …

4. … trains specialists over numerous fields of study and has authority to award various academic degrees.

5. The rules of admission to the institutions of higher education …

6. Those not successful at exams but complying with minimum requirements may …

7. The first-stage university education is completed by …

8. Upon graduation from a higher educational establishment a student receives …

9. All higher educational establishments …

10. The republic is reforming its system of education …