'Deal with them': After two weeks of protests in Belarus, Lukashenko orders officials to fire teachers who backed opposition

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has ordered that all school teachers who do not support the “state ideology” be removed from their jobs, telling Education Minister Igor Karpenko that they need to be “dealt with.”

Belarusian society is currently going through a turbulent period following mass unrest caused by the presidential election results of August 9, which were deemed by many to have been falsified.

According to the official numbers, incumbent Lukashenko won 80% of the vote, with opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya gaining just 10%. Following the closing of polling stations, tens of thousands of Belarusians took to the streets around the country to demand free and fair elections.

The protesters were met with force by the country’s police, who used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse crowds.

Speaking to Karpenko, Lukashenko explained that it is essential to protect teachers “from all attacks,” but any educators who “moved to another camp” need to be fired, stating that Belarus has state schools, state education, and state ideology.

“Those who want to follow these principles are welcome: go teach, educate, work. Those who don’t want to [do so] shouldn’t be in school. This should be said directly, frankly and honestly,” the president said.

Many teachers from around Belarus have been blamed for participating in the falsification of elections, as many polling stations located in schools have teachers as part of the local election commission.

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