Not all 10th-grade students will continue their education: parents explained whether children can be left without secondary education

Ukrainian educational chat rooms and social media are spreading untrue information about the high school reform. These rumors are causing concern among parents, which could lead to the closure of schools or more difficult access to education for children from rural areas. The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has explained the reform and its implementation.

The main goal of the reform is to introduce specialized education in high school. Students in grades 10-12 can choose educational profiles, such as humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, or technology. This will allow students to focus on disciplines that match their interests and career plans.

Implementation of this model will require the opening of academic lyceums in communities. These are specialized institutions for high school students with modern laboratories and technical facilities. The lyceums will operate on a modular system, allowing them to adapt their schedules to students’ needs.

The primary (grades 1-4) and secondary (grades 5-9) education systems remain unchanged and are not subject to closure. The reform concerns only high school (grades 10-12). In the case of reorganizing institutions, only their status may change, not their actual existence. For example, a school may become a gymnasium or a lyceum, depending on the levels of education it provides.

The requirement that a primary school should be as close as possible to the child’s residence remains in force. No one will be forced to travel to other settlements to study.

Graduates of the 9th grade will have three options: to continue their education in an academic lyceum, enter a vocational school, or attend college. If their school becomes a lyceum, students can transfer to another institution within the community—no student will be left without an opportunity to study.

In 2025, the state invested UAH 1 billion in developing a new specialized school. Half of these funds will create modern classrooms for pilot 10th graders in the natural sciences and mathematics. The rest will equip STEM laboratories, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, and technology classrooms. The funding will continue in the following years.