New rules for inclusive education in schools: support for children with special educational needs is changing in Ukraine
Full access to education for children with special educational needs takes on particular importance in wartime, as security breaches, forced displacement, and psychological stress complicate the educational process and increase the need for clearly organized support. The government’s decision to update the procedure for inclusive education in secondary education institutions is designed to make the system more predictable, balanced and able to take into account the individual educational trajectories of children who need additional attention.
Updating the regulatory framework: what the government resolution provides
The Cabinet of Ministers adopted resolution “On Amendments to the Procedure for Organizing Inclusive Education in Secondary Education Institutions”, initiated by the Ministry of Education and Science with the aim of improving mechanisms for supporting students with special educational needs. The changes concern both the structure of individual development programs and the organization of the educational process in inclusive classes.
One of the key innovations was the update of the form of the individual development program, which determines the educational trajectory of the child. In addition, the period for its development has been extended, which should ensure more thorough planning and consideration of the characteristics of each student, taking into account the level of support and the specifics of educational difficulties.
Levels of support and restrictions in inclusive classes
The changes have clarified the approaches to determining levels of support for students with special educational needs, which allows schools to more clearly allocate resources and organize the work of teachers and support specialists. In the context of a state of war or emergency, specific restrictions have been established on the number of children with special educational needs in one inclusive class.
According to the new rules, no more than five students of the second–third level of support and no more than two students of the fourth–fifth level of support may study in a class. Such restrictions are designed to preserve the possibility of high-quality individual work, especially in conditions of increased burden on the education system caused by the war.
Support for children with minor difficulties
The resolution pays special attention to the mechanism for supporting schoolchildren who have minor difficulties during their studies, since timely response to the initial manifestations of educational problems makes it possible to avoid their aggravation. The corresponding changes provide for improving the procedures for providing such assistance and clarifying the role of teachers in this process.
The document also allows for modifying the content of educational subjects for students with mild difficulties, which creates the opportunity to adapt the material to the individual capabilities of the child without reducing general educational standards. This approach helps maintain motivation for learning and supports the gradual development of skills at a pace that is safe for the child.
Financing correctional and developmental work
To provide correctional and developmental and psychological and pedagogical classes, the government allocated 270 million hryvnias to local budgets for the period from January to June 2026. These funds should cover the costs associated with organizing additional classes and involving specialists who work with children with special educational needs.
The availability of targeted funding creates the prerequisites for the introduced changes not to remain just regulatory provisions, but to be implemented in practice, taking into account the real needs of schools and families.
The Ministry of Education and Science noted:
“The adoption of this decision will help to better organize the educational process, ensure an individual approach to each child with special educational needs (SEN), and create comfortable conditions for their learning, development, and socialization.”
During the war, which significantly affected the psycho-emotional state of children and the stability of the educational environment, the regulation of inclusive education takes on additional importance, as it allows schools to operate according to uniform rules and guarantees children with increased educational needs systemic support regardless of the circumstances.
