Education in Ukraine

This article is about education in Ukraine.

General information

Ukraine produces the fourth largest number of academic graduates in Europe.

Ukraine's educational system has produced nearly 100% literacy.^[1]

Secondary education is compulsory. As a rule, schooling begins at the age of 6.

According to (then) Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament) Volodymyr Lytvyn the amount of budget financing for the sphere of education reached about 6% of Ukraine's GDP in November 2009.^[2]

Ukrainian educational system

The Ukrainian educational system is organised into four levels : primary, secondary, higher and postgraduate education.

Schools receive 50% of their funding from the city budget and 50% from the national Government budget.^[3] The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine intends to give general education schools the option to independently manage the financial resources assigned from the state budget starting from January 1, 2010^[4].

School level

Primary and secondary education is divided into "younger", "middle", and "senior" schools. Younger school comprises grades 1 to 4. Grades 5-9 are usually referred to as "middle school", while 10-12 are "senior school". Despite the names, students usually study in the same school building throughout their primary and secondary education. Primary schooling lasts 4 years and middle school 5. The middle school curriculum varies slightly between schools. There are then 3 profile years.

In 2001, a 12-year education system replaced an older 11-year one. Those who began their education since 2001 stay in the school for 12 years rather than 11. As a result there will be no graduating seniors in Ukraine in 2012^[5].

During grades 9 and 12 (11 till 2011), which is usually around the age of 18 (17), students take various exams. The current examination system is undergoing change. At grades 9 and 12 (11) students take IGTs (Independent Government Tests), which allow twelfth (currently eleventh) graders to enter university without taking separate entrance exams. In 2008 entrance exams were abolished and the IGTs became the standard for determining entrance eligibility.^[6]

In school year 2009-2010 potential graduates are scheduled to undergo external independent testing after the final state examination, in the following subjects: Ukrainian language and literature, history of Ukraine, mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, geography, and one foreign language (of the pupil's choice) in either English, German, French, or Spanish. The results of the testing will have the same status as entrance examinations to institutions of higher education.^[7]

University level

Higher education is either state funded or private. It is common practice that university candidates are not required to pass an entrance examination if they are willing to pay for their education.^[8] Students that study at state expense receive a standard scholarship if their average marks at the end-of-term exams and differentiated test is at least 4 (see the 5-point grade system below); this rule may be different in some universities. In the case of all students with a grade 5, the scholarship is increased by 25%. For most students the level of government subsidy is not sufficient to cover their basic living expenses. Most universities provide subsidized housing for out-of-city students. Also, it is common for libraries to supply required books for all registered students. There are two degrees conferred by Ukrainian universities: the Bachelor's Degree (4 years) and the Master's Degree (5–6 years). These degrees are introduced in accordance with Bologna process, in which Ukraine is taking part. Historically, Specialist's Degree (usually 5 years) is still also granted; it was the only degree awarded by universities in the Soviet times.

Major universities

• Kiev University (National Taras Shevchenko University of Kiev)
• National Technical University of Ukraine (National Technical University of Ukraine "Kiev Polytechnic Institute")
• Kharkiv University (Karazin Kharkiv National University)
• Lviv University (Ivan Franko National University of Lviv)
• Donetsk National University
• Chernivtsi University (Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University)
• Odessa University (I.I. Mechnikov Odessa National University)
• National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
• National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnical Institute"
• Lviv Polytechnic
• Ostroh Academy

Postgraduate level

Upon obtaining a Master's Degree or Specialist, a student may enter a university or a scientific institute to pursue postgraduate education. The first level of postgraduate education is aspirantura that usually results in the Kandidat Nauk degree (Candidate of Sciences). Candidates must pass three qualifying exams (in the field of specialty, in a foreign language of their choice and in philosophy), publish at least three scientific articles, write a dissertation and defend it. This degree is roughly equivalent to the Ph.D. in the United States.^[9]. After graduation a student may continue postgraduate education. This takes from two to four years of study in doctorantura. Significant scientific results must be obtained and published, and a new thesis written. This produces a Doctor Nauk degree (Doctor of Sciences), but the more typical way is working in a university or scientific institute with parallel preparation of a thesis. The average time between obtaining Kandidat and Doctor degrees is roughly 10 years, and most of new Doctors are 40 and more years old. Only one of four Kandidats reaches this grade. Kandidat Nauk may keep the position Associate Professor in universities, or Researcher/Senior Researcher in scientific institutes. Doctor Nauk can hold position of full Professor, Head of Laboratory or an equal/higher positions. The Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science is considering changing the Soviet style Kandidat Nauk and Doctor Nauk degrees to Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor Habilitation, as has happened in several other post-Soviet countries.

Marks

Ukrainian universities use a traditional 5-point scale:

• "5" = "excellent"
• "4" = "good"
• "3" = "acceptable"
• "2" = "unacceptable".

"5", "4", "3" can be described as "Satisfactory", "2" - as "Fail". Students who get a failing grade of "2", have two more chances to pass an examination. Since 2006 (and even earlier in some universities), university students are graded on a rating scale of 0 to 100. These grades can be transformed to the 5-point scale as follows (this system may vary a little from university to university):

• from 90 (or 91) to 100 means "5"
• from 75 to 89 (or 90) means "4"
• from 60 (or 61) to 74 means "3"
• from 0 to 59 (or 60) means "2"

Both the rating scale and the 5-point scale are used in university registers.

As for secondary schools, they also used the above-mentioned 5-point scale till 2000. Since 2000 secondary schools use a 12-point scale, which could be transformed into the traditional 5-point scale as follows:

• "12" = "5+"
• "11" = "5"
• "10" = "5-"
• "9" = "4+"
• "8" = "4"
• "7" = "4-"
• "6" = "3+"
• "5" = "3"
• "4" = "3-"
• "3" = "2+"
• "2" = "2"
• "1" = "2-"

Here signs "+" and "-" denote respectively better and worse version of a mark, for example, "4-" means "somewhat worse than good".

Languages used in Educational Establishments

In 2000/01 academic year, 70% of students attended Ukrainian-language schools (that is where Ukrainian is the primary language of instruction), while 29% were studying in Russian-language schools. There are schools with instruction in Romanian, Crimean Tatar, Hungarian, and Polish in regions populated by those groups. Historically, the language of instruction has often changed in Ukraine. When Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire, the Ukrainian language was proscribed, and Russian predominated among the elite, who had access to schools. The initial policies of the Bolsheviks were supportive of local languages, and many Ukrainian-language schools were opened, with the long-term goal of getting rid of illiteracy. From the mid-1930s to the mid-1980s, the Soviet government policies favoured Russification. In the 1970s and 1980s, the number of Russian-language schools constantly increased at the expense of Ukrainian-language schools. After Ukraine obtaining independence the trend was reversed. However, reintroduction of formal Ukrainian-language study has taken longer than expected. In some schools that has tried to switch to Ukrainian, part or most of the instruction is still given in Russian. In universities there are similar trends. In 1991/92 academic year, according to the Razumkov Centre, 49% of high school students were receiving their education in Ukrainian, and 50% in Russian.

See also

• List of universities in Ukraine
• Law of Ukraine On Education (1996)

References

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (February 2008)

External links

• (Ukrainian) Ministry of Education and Science of the Ukraine (official website)

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