Zhytomyr region: community leaders discussed the implementation of the reform of specialised senior schools

The workshop ‘Reform of Specialised Senior Secondary Schools: Opportunities and Challenges for Communities’ was held in Zhytomyr on 15 April as the final part of the professional development programme.

Forty-four community leaders from Zhytomyr region and their deputies responsible for education attended the event. The implementation of specialised secondary education reform, with a particular focus on the region’s specific characteristics, was discussed with:

• Nadiia Kuzmychova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine;

• Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project Manager;

• Vitalii Bunechko, Head of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration;

• Members of the Ukrainian Parliament Bohdan Kytsak and Serhii Kuzminykh;

• Liudmyla Kytsak, Member of the Zhytomyr Regional Council;

• Andrii Matsokin and Serhii Yatskovskyi, DECIDE National Experts;

• Anna Morenko, Coordinator of the Education Environment Sector at the NUS Implementation Office.

The event was held in the format of a live dialogue, as community leaders actively asked questions of the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine and DECIDE Project experts, discussed the practical aspects of implementing the specialised senior school reform in their communities, and identified the challenges they face.

During the workshop, the participants focused on the following issues:

• national and regional policy on the implementation of the reform of specialised secondary education;

• building a capable network of specialised secondary lyceums and making informed management decisions based on data;

• implementing educational subsidies in 2026 and creating a modern educational environment;

• cooperation between communities in establishing a network of educational institutions.

A significant part of the discussion focused on:

• ensuring access to education, in particular the procurement of school buses;

• the role of founders in establishing a network of lyceums;

• the conditions for using subsidies and preparing/updating the necessary project and cost estimate documentation;

• the completion of full general secondary education in their schools by pupils currently in Grade 9.

Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project Manager, presented opportunities for communities in Zhytomyr region in the framework of Phase 2 of the Project: support in strategic planning, expert guidance in implementing reforms, and strengthening administrative capacity for the development of the education system in communities.

The participants of the workshop also visited the S. Kovalchuk Lyceum No. 12, where they were introduced to the practical experience of establishing a modern academic lyceum, and discussed the transformation of the network of educational institutions and management decisions that enable the adaptation of the education network to the capabilities of communities and the needs of pupils.

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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