Starting September 1, Belarusian Schools Will Inspect The Belongings Of Students And Parents

• 26.08.2026, 21:21

It is not yet known who will take on this task.

Starting with the new school year, Belarusian schools will be authorized to conduct random searches of belongings—not only those of students themselves, but also those of parents and other visitors. This was announced on the air of “Radio Minsk” by Alexander Syakh, first deputy chief of the Moscow Department of the capital’s security service .

As Syakh explained, this authority stems from changes to the regulations governing access control at educational institutions.

Students of any age, as well as adults—parents and other visitors—may potentially be subject to searches if they are found to be carrying large items. The security representative emphasized that caution must be exercised in this regard: heightened security measures should not make children feel as though they are under suspicion.

Syakh did not disclose the specific procedure for conducting the searches—namely, who exactly will carry them out and under what circumstances.

According to available information, the tightening of the rules is timed to coincide with the start of the school year and is part of a comprehensive package of measures to improve safety in schools.

It is worth noting that similar practices have occurred in Belarus before. Specifically, in November 2023 in Mogilev, police officers inspected the contents of school backpacks, which at the time sparked discontent among parents.

In addition, a ban on the use of electronic devices in the country’s educational institutions has been in effect since September 1, 2025—although the Ministry of Education initially promised to apply this restriction without undue strictness. The ministry later clarified exactly how students’ phones should be stored at schools and what penalties apply for using them during class.