«Establishment of an academic lyceum in a community: how to avoid typical mistakes and lay a solid foundation for success?» Communities sometimes view senior secondary school reform as an organisational or legal task: to change the type of institution, pass a council resolution, or update the charter. However, an academic lyceum is not the result of a formal council resolution, but an outcome of strategic, staffing, and financial decisions made by the founder, upon which the

‘We must believe in this ourselves – and inspire children by our example,’ says Iryna Baibuza, Deputy Principal of the Reshetylivka Lyceum and Coordinator of the Career Guidance Programme, and these words summarise the transformation of career guidance in Reshetylivska community. The example of Reshetylivka shows how chaotic field trips and scattered initiatives can grow into a coherent, inspiring career guidance system that transforms both children and adults. The community

On 12 March, a round-table discussion titled ‘Implementation of the Law on Vocational Education: Legislative and Property Aspects’ was held in Poltava, focusing on practical steps for implementing the new legislation. The event was organised by the Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils (UAROR) in collaboration with DECIDE Project and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, with the support of the Poltava Regional State Administration and the Poltav

What will secondary education in Ternopil region look like? How can a system be built that offers students real choice? And how can these changes be implemented in practice, taking into account the specific characteristics of each community? DECIDE Project experts — Ihor Melnychuk, Petro Hotsaliuk, and Khrystyna Duda — discussed the practical steps involved in these changes during a series of visits to the Ternopil City Council, Zborivska, Vyshnivetska communities, and Zbaraz

The Memorandum provides for a broad partnership framework until 2030 within the framework of DECIDE Phase 2. The document lays the foundation for long-term, systematic cooperation aimed to comprehensively develop education at the regional level by strengthening the capacity of local governments to implement reforms in education. The partnership provides for: support for the reform of vocational education, including expert guidance on the transfer of institutional assets from

2 March, a workshop entitled ‘Reform of Specialised Senior Secondary Schools: Opportunities and Challenges for the Community’ was held in Poltava. The event was part of a training programme for heads of regional education departments. The programme ran from 17 February and brought together heads of education authorities from 57 communities. The key speakers at the event were: Nadiia Kuzmychova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine; Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Pr

Which schools will continue to operate as lyceums, and which will remain as gymnasiums? What academic profiles will be available to pupils, and how can these best be implemented depending on pupils’ needs and the capabilities of the schools? How can effective communication be established with parents and local councillors? These and many other questions were discussed during consultative meetings of DECIDE Project’s expert team, organised by the Kyiv Regional State Administra

In Lviv region, career guidance means more than formal tests in the school psychologist’s office or talks about careers in the assembly hall. It is a comprehensive system where vocational education is modernised, becoming trendy and attractive. Here, forums are organised for several thousand people, attended by vocational schools, businesses, communities, teenagers and their role models. Schoolchildren visit businesses, and vocational colleges organise summer camps for the yo

The final workshop ‘Reform of Specialised Senior Secondary Schools: Opportunities and Challenges for the Community’ was held on 11 March in Poltava. The event was organised by DECIDE in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Poltava Regional State Administration and the Poltava Regional Council. The workshop marked the completion of a training course that ran from 18 February and brought together 28 communities in Poltava region, along with the

In 2020, Poltava region was selected as a pilot region for the implementation of the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE Project. That is where a systematic partnership began between communities, the regional authorities and the Project's expert team, with the aim of developing modern, accessible, and high-quality education. Today, this collaboration continues within Project Phase 2, running until 2030, and is opening up new opportunities for the development of education in the communitie