Educators in Ivano-Frankivsk region get ready for the reform of specialised senior secondary education

How to properly model a network of specialised secondary education institutions? How to take into account demographic challenges and, at the same time, the financial capacity of the community to maintain educational institutions? Nowadays, the head of the educational authorities of the community faces numerous management challenges that must be overcome in order for a network of academic lyceums to start operating in Ivano-Frankivsk region in 2027.

On 21 January, Ivano-Frankivsk hosted the final event of the advanced training course ‘Reform of Specialised Senior Schools’ organised by DECIDE Project, which provided a platform for frank discussion of the reform agenda. The event also summarised the results of a two-week training programme for heads of local education authorities in the region.

The event brought together 53 heads of education authorities and their deputies from communities in Ivano-Frankivsk region, as well as DECIDE Project experts, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Military Administration.

What did the administrators find most concerning?

The focus was on issues that require immediate decision-making in communities in the near future:

• What awaits future ten-graders in 2026? How can we ensure continuity of education during the transition period, and what should schools start preparing for now?

• NUS-2026 subsidy: how will the funding mechanisms for pilot lyceums work, and what can communities expect in this budget cycle?

• How to get on the list of pilot lyceums and what criteria must an institution meet to become part of the national piloting of the new State Standard for Specialised Secondary Education?

• Will special training be provided for teachers of integrated courses?

Participants in the discussions included:

• Nadiia Kuzmychova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, explained the specifics of implementing the reform and piloting the content, as well as financing the development of academic lyceums and using subsidies.

• Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project Manager, presented the key areas of cooperation with communities in the second phase of the Project – from expert support in the implementation of the reform and development of the career guidance system to a wide range of development initiatives.

• Viktor Kimakovych, Director of the Department of Education and Science of the Regional State Administration, focused on the current problems of the communities of Ivano-Frankivsk region during the formation of the network.

During the workshop, special attention was paid to the organisation of the educational process in academic lyceums – from the formation of profiles to the development of curricula.

The discussion was highly substantive, with an emphasis on solutions that can be implemented today.

The practical part of the seminar was devoted to introductory visits to Bogorodchany Lyceum No. 1, where laboratories and DECIDE career guidance hub at the Vocational Education Centre No. 1 in Ivano-Frankivsk, which hundreds of students in Grades 8-9 from Ivano-Frankivsk have visited since its opening.

We will continue to work with communities in Ivano-Frankivsk region and will soon launch a new series of training sessions on topical issues of education reform and good governance.

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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