Kyiv region prepares to launch specialised senior secondary education

• 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 Administration during working meetings with heads of education authorities, their deputies and principals of general secondary schools, held at the district level in Kyiv region.

This month, the team of experts – Yurii Orel, Olena Hulenko, and Alla Bondar – has continued its systematic work in the communities of Kyiv region, taking into account the challenges and needs of each, so that an optimal network of academic lyceums can be operational in the region from 1 September 2027.

And finally, we have seen the long-awaited result of this joint effort: on 26 February, the Kyiv Regional Council approved a network of 106 academic lyceums.

‘The reform is not about changing the status of institutions, but about opportunities for children. Our task is to help communities make informed and balanced decisions based not on speculation and emotion, but on real data,’ notes Yurii Orel, DECIDE Regional Expert.

‘The reform of specialised senior secondary schools in the region aims to ensure quality education for all pupils. In establishing the network of educational institutions, we have taken into account the specific characteristics of our region and each community – in particular, migration and internal displacement,’ emphasised Zhanna Osypenko, Deputy Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration.

‘The world has changed today, and we must act and not be afraid to take responsibility. Education must be flexible and respond to the challenges of the times – that is what development is all about. Our personal motivation is for teenagers to understand that school is a place where they are accepted and supported. A place where everyone can find their place. After all, when a senior school pupil has the opportunity to study what they have chosen themselves, they become more motivated and responsible for their choices,’ shares Yaroslava Trostianska, Director of the Department of Education and Science of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration.

For instance, educational institutions in Boryspilska community have already conducted a survey, analysed pupils’ educational needs, and identified learning clusters within which they will develop specialised study programmes.

According to Kateryna Shaban, Head of the Department of Education and Science of Boryspilska community: ‘To establish a network of lyceums that best suits our community, we have taken into account the demographic situation, staffing capacity, and the material and technical resources of the institutions. Today, the number of pupils is gradually decreasing: compared to last year, there are approximately 400–500 fewer. We also analysed the trends in pupils’ transition to senior school and predicted that 28 classes will be formed for pupils going into 10th grade. That is precisely why the decision was taken to have four academic lyceums operating in the community. This will enable the creation of a capable network of senior schools, where education will be built on new opportunities in the choice of study profile, well-rounded development and an individual approach to each student.’

DECIDE continues to provide a platform for open dialogue on the launch of specialised senior secondary school reform and to offer expert support for the implementation of these changes. To date, 24 communities in Kyiv region have benefited from the advisory support of DECIDE project experts.

Overall, since March 2025, experts have visited 240 communities in person and conducted 325 online consultations. Nearly 11,000 participants from over 560 communities across 22 regions of Ukraine have taken part in the meetings with the experts.

If your community also requires expert consultation, please fill out the application form via this link.

We will contact you to agree on a convenient format and time for the meeting.

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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