Education in Ukraine before independence (IX - early XX century)
IX-XVI centuries
The earliest historically confirmed schools on Ukrainian territory date back to the foundation of the Kyivska Rus' state. The establishment of educational institutions on the territory of the Kyivska Rus' state was a result of the introduction of Christianity as the state religion. At that time, educational institutions were not widespread and served only a limited circle of people, including members of the princely family and their immediate entourage. It is noteworthy that chroniclers and monks were also among those who received an education.
During the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, the establishment of libraries was initiated. The first of these was situated within St Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv, as described in the Tale of Bygone Years.
In 1086, the first school for girls was opened at St Andrew's Monastery in Kyiv. Education was accessible to all, regardless of gender.
Until the sixteenth century, mainly churches and monasteries dealt with education.
XVI-XVII centuries
This was a period of rapid development in Ukrainian education. It expanded beyond the church, aligning with the prevailing European tendencies.
In the 1550s, Jesuit schools were established in Ukraine, as well as throughout Europe. For the first time, they proposed that education should be free.
In the 1580s, Brotherhood schools appeared in Ukraine. These schools were affiliated with brotherhoods, which were public organisations of the Orthodox bourgeoisie. This is a unique phenomenon, peculiar to Ukraine.
By the 1650s, each regiment of the Hetmanate had numerous schools, located in almost every settlement. In the territory of the Zaporizka Sich, there were ‘Palanka’ schools, which were under the authority of separate territorial units called ‘palankas’.
In the right-bank region of Ukraine, which was under the jurisdiction of the Rich Pospolyta (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth), the provision of education was the responsibility of the Greek Catholic Church.
XVII-XIX centuries
In 1762-1796, during the reign of Catherine II, mass education gradually became more state-controlled. The autonomy of the Hetmanate, Slobidska Ukraine, and Zaporizka Sich collapsed, and the Russian Empire completely annexed Ukrainian lands. Part of the population was enslaved, but even serfs had the opportunity to study.
Ukraine lost its privileges, and the process of Russification of education began.
In the 1860s, the first ‘Zemstvo’ schools were established.
Late XIX - early XX century
The ‘Prosvita’ Society began its activities by establishing schools as well. However, with the advent of Soviet rule in 1918, the quality of the education system began to decline. Academic and vocational education were unified, resulting in the creation of a standardised curriculum. The Soviet school combined pedagogy and didactics, with the dual objective of imparting knowledge and promoting communist ideology. This became a defining characteristic of the educational system.
It also intensified the process of Russification in Ukrainian schools, which continued until Ukraine declared its independence.
Source: Osvitoria.org (30 років Незалежності, понад тисячу років освіченості: історія української освіти)
Development of education in Ukraine since independence (1991-2021)
The transformation of the principles governing education in independent Ukraine began with the adoption of the Law on Education on 23 May 1991, following the declaration of state sovereignty (Декларація про державний суверенітет України) in 1990. This legislation established the right of Ukrainian citizens to receive education in all educational institutions, including free education in public and municipal educational institutions. The legislation prohibits any form of discrimination, including based on sex, race, nationality, social and property status, occupation, ideological convictions, party affiliation, attitude to religion, beliefs, state of health, special educational needs, place of residence, etc.
In the period between 1991 and 1993, new educational management bodies were formed. In 1991, the Ministry of Education of Ukraine was established by presidential decree. From its inception, the Ministry actively supported the transformation processes in the Ukrainian education system. This included the transition from the Soviet ideological framework to the adoption of advanced European educational standards.
From 1991 to 2003, the national education system mostly maintained the traditions of the Soviet past, gradually changing as new social relations developed in the country.
Social transformations that took place in Ukraine during this period led to changes in the country's educational legislation. In particular, following the adoption of the Constitution of Ukraine in 1996, numerous amendments were made to the Law on Education.
Subsequently, a number of legislative acts were adopted to supplement the framework Law on Education. These include the enactment of laws in the following areas: Vocational Education and Training (1998), General Secondary Education (1999), Out-of-School Education (2000), Preschool Education (2001), and Higher Education (2002), among others.
Since 2004, European integration processes have significantly changed the institutional and legal framework of education. Ukraine has formally declared its course towards EU membership. This has led to changes at all levels of education, from early childhood to higher education.
In 2014, Ukraine signed the Association Agreement with the EU (Угода про асоціацію між Україною, з однієї сторони, та Європейським Союзом, Європейським співтовариством з атомної енергії і їхніми державами-членами, з іншої сторони), thereby committing to promote European cooperation in the fields of education, training and youth policy. The aim was to improve mutual understanding, strengthen intercultural dialogue and deepen knowledge of different cultures, considering their cultural and linguistic diversity.
The accumulation of these innovations necessitated a revision of the Ukrainian Law on Education (закон України ‘Про освіту’), leading to the adoption of a new version on 5 September 2017. This revised legislation provided a significant impetus for further reform of the Ukrainian education system and the country's integration into the European Education Area.
Development of education in Ukraine under martial law (2022-2024)
On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale military aggression against Ukraine, causing significant disruption to the country's socio-economic system. In particular, educational institutions have suffered considerable destruction and damage. Some Ukrainian cities and settlements have been completely destroyed by Russian artillery and rockets, forcing their inhabitants to evacuate in order to escape the dangers of the ongoing military operations. These hostilities have led to changes in the organisational structure of the Ukrainian education system.
According to UNICEF, the war in Ukraine has resulted in catastrophic consequences for children, reaching a scale and pace not seen since World War II.
As of the end of June 2024, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (Офіс Генерального прокурора України) reported that at least 1,954 children had been affected by the full-scale war in the country. Juvenile prosecutors estimated that 554 children had been killed and over 1,419 had been injured.
The Ukrainian education system has found itself in new realities, posing unprecedented challenges for those responsible for its management.
From the first days of the war, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU) issued an open letter to international partners, including EU ministers, requesting their support for Ukraine's education system.
Most educational institutions were forced to suspend their activities. These institutions served as focal points for the provision of assistance to both the civilian population and the military. A significant number of educators and researchers contributed as volunteers during this time.
Within a short period, Ukraine established the foundations of institutional and legal frameworks for regulating the education sector under martial law. This ensured the continuity and accessibility of educational provision. A number of legislative measures were also adopted to facilitate the evacuation and relocation of educational institutions from areas occupied by enemy forces and areas affected by active hostilities. The MESU issued more than 50 orders in this regard.
At the same time, the war has accelerated Ukraine's integration into the European Education Area. On 23 June, the European Council took the historic decision to grant Ukraine the status of candidate country for membership in the European Union. The European Commission's Opinion noted that Ukraine has a well-developed education system, with almost 100% literacy and a rather satisfactory result in the PISA 2018 study on the quality of education. The report also highlights the significant allocation of funds to the education sector (5.7% of GDP in 2021) and the remarkable percentage of Ukrainians enrolled in higher education.
On 1 February 2023, the European Commission published the Analytical Report on Ukraine's alignment with the EU acquis. This preliminary report on the state of sectoral integration of education into the EU acquis concluded that the education and culture sector was at some level of preparation for integration. The education system as a whole is aligned with EU objectives and policies, especially with regard to vocational training and qualifications.
More information can be found here.