The Ministry of Education clarified what graduates will receive instead of traditional gold and silver medals.

Students completing grades 9 and 11 will now receive academic achievement certificates instead of the traditional gold and silver medals. This innovation has already been in effect since December 2024 and should become a permanent practice, explained in the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine,

In December 2024, the production and awarding of medals “For high achievements in education” and “For achievements in education” was stopped. From now on, students will be awarded certificates with honors. Such documents will be given to those who have demonstrated high results.

Students of the 9th grade can receive a certificate of basic secondary education with honors if they have grades of 10-12 points in all subjects of the 9th grade and state final certification (provided it is conducted); at the same time, grades for grades 5–8 are not taken into account.

For graduates of the 11th (12th) grade, a certificate of complete general secondary education with honors is provided, if all subjects studied at the level of specialized secondary education are evaluated for 10-12 points, as well as according to the results of the state final certification. Grades for the 10th grade are also taken into account – only from those subjects that were completed in this grade.

As for awards in the form of medals, the state no longer produces them at the expense of the state budget. At the same time, schools, local authorities, public organizations and other structures can independently introduce their own forms of encouragement: certificates, letters of commendation or even medals. The Ministry of Education emphasizes that when awarding honors certificates, attention should be paid not only to compliance with formal criteria, but also to personal achievements and contributions of students.