Military training from age 15: Belarus splits 10th-graders into drone pilots and battlefield medics

Starting in September, Belarusian students will undergo distinct military training based on their gender. Boys will undergo a 10-hour drone-piloting course while girls will receive expanded tactical medicine training, Deputy Education Minister Alyaksandr Kadlubai announced. This new curriculum is part of the existing pre-conscription and medical training classes already taught in Belarusian schools.

The reforms align with the broader trend of militarizing education in Belarus since the 2020 protests and President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's subsequent crackdown. These changes come as military-patriotic clubs have been spreading through Belarusian schools, exposing children as young as elementary school age to weapons training and field exercises.

Additionally, 10-day military field camps are now mandatory for 10th-grade students, and kindergartens have established military-patriotic focus groups. Deputy Kadlubai emphasized the department's commitment to scaling this experience across the entire country by strengthening the practical component and increasing the volume of classes.