The Ministry of Education and Culture intends to transfer schools to a 12-year education system: only 11% of parents support this

The educational reform in Ukraine causes heated discussions and conflicting opinions among the public. The transition to a 12-year education system, planned for 2027, leads to fears and skepticism among Ukrainians. The public is concerned about whether the new system will be able to meet the needs of students and their parents, as well as whether it will meet the current demands of the labor market.

The Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Oksen Lisovyi, said that from 2027, the implementation of a 12-year education system will begin in Ukrainian schools, which aims to make school graduates more prepared for admission to universities. During the presentation of a study devoted to the reform of the high school, he emphasized that this additional year of study will give students more time to learn the material and develop individual abilities. In addition, the introduction of specialized education for students of grades 10-12 will allow them to choose the direction of study according to their preferences and future plans. According to the minister, this will help graduates to better prepare for admission to higher education institutions and ensure deeper assimilation of knowledge.

Forest too reported, that the team of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is working on shortening the term of bachelor’s studies in certain specialties, which will allow future students to complete higher education faster. Such changes, according to him, are designed to make the education system more flexible and efficient. In addition, students who choose to study at vocational colleges will be able to enter the labor market already with ready-made professional skills. This will provide them with better prospects for employment and career growth.

One of the key aspects of the senior school reform is the creation of academic lyceums, where students of grades 10-12 will be able to receive specialized education. According to the minister, this will not only prepare high school students for admission to universities, but also help them decide on their future profession. The introduction of a 12-year education system will meet international standards, which will contribute to the integration of Ukrainian education into the European educational space.

In accordance with by the results According to a sociological study conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), public opinion regarding the introduction of a 12-year education system is quite ambiguous. The study was conducted in April-May 2024 using the online survey method (CAWI), in which more than 80,000 respondents from all government-controlled regions of Ukraine and all types of settlements took part. The sample included students, parents, educators and representatives of local authorities. The survey of high school students was especially important, because they are the ones who will be most affected by this reform, so their opinions are extremely important.

The results of the study showed that only 11% of parents fully support the introduction of 12-year education, while 25% are categorically against this initiative. Another 34% of parents spoke against the extension of education for one year, and 17% are inclined to support it, but are not sure of their position. 12% of respondents answered that it is difficult for them to decide on this issue. Such results indicate that a significant number of parents do not support the changes introduced by the Ministry of Education.

Regarding the attitude of students to the introduction of a three-year high school, only 13% of students positively evaluate this prospect, while 12% believe that they are more likely to support it. The largest share of respondents, namely 48%, takes a neutral position, which indicates the lack of a clear opinion on this issue among young people. 22% of students have a negative or rather negative attitude to three-year high school, while 8% of students find it difficult to answer this question.

The study also included an analysis of attitudes towards professional education in high school. According to the results of the survey, 85% of parents of students in grades 10-11 support the idea of ​​specialized education, while only 4% are against it, and 10% are difficult to answer. Among parents of 5th-6th graders, 78% support specialized education, 7% are against it, and 15% find it hard to decide. As for high school students themselves, 85% support specialized training, 4% are against it, and 11% cannot give an unequivocal answer.

In addition, an important aspect of the survey was the question of whether high school students had decided on their future profession. Only 35% of students in grades 10-11 already know exactly what profession they want to master, 31% are inclined to a specific choice, while 22% are still undecided, and 12% do not have any plans for their future profession.

The survey also covered the opinions of educators regarding the introduction of a senior specialized school. In particular, 58% of teachers and heads of education authorities believe that the quality of education will improve somewhat after the implementation of the reform, while 60% of school heads also share this opinion. 28% of teachers, 33% of heads of education administration bodies and 28% of school heads hope that education will improve significantly.

Thus, the introduction of a 12-year education system is an extremely important part of secondary school reform, but additional efforts are needed to convince the public of its feasibility and benefits. The success of this reform depends not only on effective implementation in practice, but also on how society perceives these changes.