Publication: Review of the Education Sector in Ukraine: Moving toward Effectiveness, Equity and Efficiency
Date
2019-06-21
ISSN
Published
2019-06-21
Author(s)
World Bank Group
Abstract
Education in Ukraine has played a
significant role in economic and social development even
before gaining independence in 1991. As a member of the
Soviet Union, Ukraine’s education system was promoted
strongly at all levels, and it was provided with
exceptionally high funding and support for pedagogical
innovation to meet the needs of a centrally planned economy.
Outcomes included high literacy rates and basic knowledge,
particularly in the sciences, and impressive scientific and
technological achievements. Since independence, Ukraine has
been able to sustain some of its comparative advantages in
educational excellence, contributing to high levels of
educational attainment and human capital development.
Ukrainians want a modern education system for their futures
and the future of their children. They want a system that
facilitates Ukraine’s integration into Europe and the wider
world. Low public trust in the system, years of national
dialogue, and the Euromaidan Revolution all contributed to a
consensus for change. With general secondary education,
change was warranted to address: (a) outdated curricula
emphasizing content knowledge over critical thinking and
problem-solving; (b) low student motivation to learn with
overly theoretical textbooks and outdated teaching methods;
(c) low social status and low salaries for teachers,
contributing to a demoralized teacher workforce and
unappealing profession; and (d) unequal access to the
quality education that has been guaranteed by the
Government. In higher education, these reasons included
corruption, non-recognition of diplomas of Ukrainian higher
education institutions (HEIs) in the European Union and the
world, divergence of higher education from the demands of
the labor market, quality of learning environments and
instructional methods, inefficient use of funds, and
international isolation. The Euromaidan Revolution in 2014
generated excitement and optimism about the future, which
brought forth some of the boldest and most ambitious efforts
to reform the education system in Ukraine since
independence. These reforms aimed to decentralize and
democratize education, transitioning the system away from
its Soviet past and towards a vision for the future.
However, the context for reform and performance of Ukraine’s
education system suggests that the vision needs to be better
articulated across the sector. Reforms have proceeded at
different paces, and there is the inertia of history that
threatens progress. Without addressing persistent imbalances
in the sector, positive results may not be achieved.
Citation
“World Bank Group. 2019. Review of the Education Sector in Ukraine: Moving toward Effectiveness, Equity and Efficiency. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/32406 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”