Parents and teachers demanded to suspend the high school reform: reasons for dissatisfaction

High school reforms have once again become a subject of heated debate, with some communities calling for a temporary suspension until the war ends.

Education experts stress the importance of the changes, as without them, the system will not be able to prepare students for entry into higher education institutions properly.

The Ivano-Frankivsk City Council has appealed to Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Minister of Education and Science Oksen Lisovy to halt the reorganization of schools and the creation of academic lyceums. This decision was made during an extraordinary session held on February 5.

“In the current conditions of war, children have the right to study in their own schools, and not to look for new educational institutions due to changes in documents,” emphasized City Mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv.

MP Halyna Kunitska noted that institutions that do not receive lyceum status will become gymnasiums from 2027 and will not be able to issue documents confirming completion of grades 10-11.

The transition to 12-year education is planned for 2027. In the community, only 5 out of 54 educational institutions will receive the status of academic or scientific lyceums, while others will continue to operate up to grade 9. However, high school has long needed changes: the low pass rate on the NMT in mathematics, and the practice of tutoring, have become common. Not all families can afford such classes at 500-700 hryvnias.

Oleg Paska, Director of the Education Department of the Lviv Regional Administration, believes the reform is correct but emphasizes the need for a gradual approach. According to him, in lyceums, students will be able to choose study profiles and focus on studying the necessary subjects. He also warns against holding formal competitions for the positions of directors and teachers, which could undermine the reform’s results.

The experience of the Lviv region and the Sheptytsky Lyceum shows that lyceums can work effectively. The head of the education department, Ihor Gomonko, notes that there is a spirit of learning in educational institutions, and students consciously choose specializations. The director of the regional scientific lyceum, Olha Zayats, emphasizes that the lyceum is a choice for those planning to enter higher educational institutions, because a three-year high school offers a real opportunity for high-quality preparation for NMT.