On January 20, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. New tuition fees at universities will be known next week, Belarus Minister of Education Sergei Maskevich told a BELTA correspondent. The cost will increase due to rising expenses, the minister stated. The new price of educational services will be determined by the salaries of the teaching staff, taxes, and utility payments. "The Ministry of Education is guiding universities to consider only the costs of teaching staff salaries, taxes, and utility services when determining the new price. As for other expense items, they should be included minimally. I think the cost will not increase by 50%," said Sergei Maskevich. According to him, in 2011, students on a fee-paying basis covered only 70% of the cost of their education, with the remainder being subsidized from the budget. -0-

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