August is a critical month for educators, so as part of the Wednesdays with U-LEAD initiative, the Working Group on Education held weekly info sessions on “Organised Start of the 2024/25 School Year”. Tetiana Bordiuh, Chair of the Working Group on Education and Head of the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, stated:
“We started this cycle of our info sessions from the first week of August, when the orders of the Ministry of Education and Sciences regarding the procedure and conditions of the educational process were still being approved.”
According to her, the first session caused a lively discussion among educators, even a certain amount of disapproval of the latest legal developments. More of those were approved in time for the next session, including as regards the remuneration of educators staying abroad at the expense of the educational subvention.
“At the final event, we could confidently discuss the conditions of face-to-face and distance learning, established rules for individual and distance learning for students from temporarily occupied territories, etc. I believe that by providing early updates on educational developments, we help professionals of local self-government bodies to keep up with the news and be ready for surprises, which is crucial when working in conditions of uncertainty,” said Tetiana Bordiuh.
As the speaker of the info sessions, U-LEAD’s Education Expert Serhii Diatlenko, reminded the participants, the 2024/25 school year will last from 2 September 2024 to 30 June 2025. However, the duration of the educational process is determined by the Teachers’ Council given the security situation in the region, 35 academic weeks and 30 days of holiday, the heating season condition, as well as whether any compensation for educational losses is possible or required.
New features of organising the educational process
The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has started the implementation of the comprehensive School Offline Policy, which regulates, among other things, the face-to-face format of schooling if a safe environment is an option, or distance learning for those who will not be able to attend school. The participants learned about the key requirements and features of the programme and discussed the risks of its implementation for students, teachers and municipal educational networks. The discussion highlighted the complexity of the School Offline Policy, both the platform and the legal framework need to be studied and applied together, as they complement each other.
Distance and individual learning
The 2024–2025 school year will introduce significant changes to distance learning. For instance, offline classes are to be divided into groups for key subjects, such as the Ukrainian Language, foreign language classes and the Defence of Ukraine.
Individual educational plans and teachers’ patronage will be introduced for children residing in the temporarily occupied territories. This will provide them with access to Ukrainian education in a safe format. Distance education will also be preserved, albeit with certain restrictions and under proper control.
External study or homeschooling students will not be taken into account when calculating the number of children in the year when forming classes, dividing classes into groups or organising distance learning.
Bomb shelters as a key condition for face-to-face learning
An important element of preparation for the new academic year is providing schools with proper bomb shelters. A safe educational process cannot be organised without them. In August 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a resolution approving the Guidelines for Assessing Security Risks in the Education System Related to the Armed Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which apply to all educational institutions. This document is expected to help municipalities make choices regarding the construction of bomb shelters and switching schools back to face-to-face/mixed formats of education.
“The educational process this year must take into account all possible risks. The main task is to provide children with safe learning conditions, regardless of the format chosen by the institution,” said Mr Diatlenko.
Infrastructure and school buses
To ensure access to face-to-face education, the Ministry of Education and Sciences also allocated funds for the purchase of school buses to transport students to safe institutions. This year, UAH 1 billion of subvention was allocated to provide transport for about 25,000 students. In addition, the necessary equipment is to be provided to enable online classes for distance learning students. The amount of allocated funds might also be adjusted and/or increased.
“The school year 2024–2025 will see extensive efforts to adapt to new challenges related to the security situation in Ukraine. Implementation of the comprehensive School Offline Policy, equipping schools with bomb shelters, modernisation of distance learning and support for teachers are steps that will ensure the continuity and quality of education,” summed up Tetiana Bordiuh.