In the conditions of a full-scale war, Ukrainian families are experiencing colossal difficulties. Millions of people have lost their jobs, homes, and stable incomes, and for many parents, providing for their children’s basic needs is a daily challenge. In this difficult time, the educational system continues to function, providing education and development of children. However, against the background of financial instability, the problem of paid school competitions arises, which, although they are positioned as intellectual and developmental, carry an additional financial burden for families.
The position of the ombudsman
Education ombudsman Nadiya Leshchyk turned to to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine with a request to cancel paid competitions organized by the state or approved by its orders. The ombudsman emphasized that such events should be free for all participants, because they not only create a commercial component, but can also lead to abuses and contain corruption risks. Such activities should be available to all students, regardless of the financial status of their families.
“The service of the educational ombudsman forms a list of events, contests, olympiads in which teachers and students of education are forced to participate. In addition, some contests are commercial: in order to participate in these contests, participants must make a mostly fixed financial so-called “charitable” contribution. But, unfortunately, the regulations for holding these contests were approved by the orders of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. These orders of the MES remain valid, although some of the contests are no longer held, their websites are not working in some contests, so it is not clear whether they are held, and the website link of one of the contests redirects to a site in Russian with product advertisements.” – it says on the website of the educational ombudsman.
In addition, Leschyk emphasized the reputational risks for the Ministry of Education, which supports paid initiatives at a time when many families cannot provide even basic needs.
The popular contests: “Kangaroo”, “Lion”, “Beaver”, “Ear of corn”, “Sunflower”, “Helianthus”, “Stork” and “Teacher sunflower” were in the center of attention.
These contests are widely popular among Ukrainian schoolchildren, but over the years they have turned into a profitable niche for organizers, raising doubts about their transparency and the need for financial contributions from parents.
What is known about paid children’s contests in Ukraine
“Levenya” is a physical competition
The competition “Levenya” is aimed at popularizing physics among schoolchildren. Participation in the competition is paid, its cost is about 50 hryvnias. The organizers promise interesting tasks, as well as gifts and certificates for participants.
For example, here is such an announcement placed Kalinopil Lyceum No. 2:
“The winners of the competition will receive valuable gifts (these are both material gifts and the opportunity to participate in the camp/school of the VFK “Levenya” in Lviv). !!! The price of participation in the competition is UAH 50 for everyone, except for children whose father or mother gave their lives defending Ukraine (free of charge). In such cases, the teacher registers the children and sends a letter of appeal to the contest e-mail [email protected]». – says the website of the lyceum.
“Kangaroo” is an international mathematical competition
The “Kangaroo” competition is one of the most popular among Ukrainian schoolchildren. Its purpose is to interest children in mathematics and promote the development of logical thinking. However, in order to participate, students have to pay a fee, which in different years ranged from 20 to 50 hryvnias depending on the region.
Although the competition provides an opportunity to show one’s abilities, in the conditions of war, the financial component becomes an obstacle for many families. In addition, organizers do not always transparently report on the use of collected funds.
“Beaver” is a computer science competition
This competition helps students develop logical thinking skills and basic computer science knowledge. The participation fee is about 40-50 hryvnias. Despite the usefulness of the event, the question of paid participation remains acute, especially for families who have found themselves in a difficult situation due to the war.
“Kolosok” is a natural science competition
The Kolosok competition traditionally attracts elementary school students who are interested in biology and natural science. The cost of participation in this event is about 30-35 hryvnias. And although the competition supports the development of natural sciences, the ombudsman believes that financial contributions are unacceptable, especially in public schools.
“Sunflower” and “Sunflower-Teacher” – Ukrainian studies competition
The “Sunflower” competitions and its version for teachers are aimed at popularizing the Ukrainian language, literature and culture. Participation in the contest costs about 25-40 hryvnias for schoolchildren, and 50 hryvnias for teachers. Despite the high importance of this competition for patriotic education, the financial burden calls into question its general availability.
“Helianthus” is a natural science competition
This competition combines tasks from biology, chemistry, geography and physics. The cost of participation varies between 30-40 hryvnias. Organizers emphasize the benefits of the tasks to broaden the horizons of students, but the ombudsman emphasizes the need to cancel any payments.
“Stork” is a historical competition
The “Stork” contest popularizes historical literacy among Ukrainian schoolchildren. Participation in it costs 30-40 hryvnias, which is also a financial barrier for many families, especially in wartime.
The situation with paid school competitions is a mirror of systemic problems in the field of education, where the priorities of the state do not always correspond to the needs of society. In the conditions of war, when Ukrainians face financial difficulties, any educational initiatives should be accessible and fair. The Ombudsman’s call for the abolition of paid competitions is an important step to ensure equal opportunities for all children, regardless of their financial situation.
