On 25 September, difficult issues in education discussed during Dialogue Platform between authorities and communities «Education in communities: challenges and joint solutions»
The dialogue platform was organised by the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities (VAG) in partnership with the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE Project.
The discussion brought together the VAG leadership, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, DECIDE Project, members of the VAG Board, as well as almost 200 member communities of the Association in an online format.
Key speakers were:
Andrii Butenko, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine;
Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project Manager;
Volodymyr Kuchma, Head of VAG;
Ivan Slobodianyk, Executive Director of VAG;
Anastasiia Sofiienko, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine;
Serhii Yatskovskyi, DECIDE National Expert – Coordinator for Consultative Support to Local Governments in the Implementation of the Reform of Specialised Secondary Education.
Other participants in the dialogue platform included:
Larysa Zhabenko, DECIDE Coordinator of Component 1;
Nadiia Balabust, DECIDE National Expert – Coordinator of Development of Career Guidance System;
Nadiia Kolisnyk, DECIDE National Expert on Cooperation with Local Government Associations.
‘Together with the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities, we will provide expert and analytical support to communities in implementing all key education reforms. In particular, we will work on establishing a network of academic lyceums, and more broadly on implementing the reform of specialised secondary education. We will also provide consultancy on a wide range of education management issues in communities. We will also focus on careers guidance and partnerships between communities and the business sector, to help young people identify opportunities for learning, professional development, and a future in their community and in Ukraine,’ said Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project Manager.
The key questions put to the Minister included the challenges that communities currently face in educational management, and decisions that require coordination between central government and local self-government.
In particular, the discussion focused on:
the establishment of a network of academic lyceums, cooperation between communities to provide specialised education, the organisation of transportation for pupils to the lyceums, and ensuring access to specialised education for children from communities that do not have their own academic lyceums, starting from 1 September 2027;
school meals – organising free meals for students in Grades 1–11, the allocation and reallocation of the relevant subsidies depending on the current number of students, co-funding from local budgets, and continued funding of the programme in 2027;
transportation for students – communities’ need for school buses of varying capacity and off-road capability, including small, inclusive and all-wheel-drive vehicles; the modernisation and stock-taking of the school vehicle fleet and transport accessibility to academic lyceums;
financing education – the burden on local budgets; the terms of co-funding for state education programmes, taking into account communities’ financial capacity; the criteria for accessing state subsidies, in particular the threshold of 200 schoolchildren; and the funding of educational investment projects through the DREAM ecosystem;
career guidance for children and teenagers, and the creation of opportunities in communities that will help young people see prospects for education, professional development, and a future in Ukraine.
Based on the outcome of the discussion, an agreement was reached to strengthen communication between the Ministry of Education and Science, All-Ukrainian Association of Communities, DECIDE Project, and communities in addressing pressing issues in education.
DECIDE Project is implemented by the NGO DOCCU and Zurich University of Teacher Education – International, with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine.
The DECIDE project is implemented by NGO DOCCU and PHZH International Projects in Education with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine.
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