Further implementation of the reform of specialised secondary education should continue, despite the challenges faced by communities and the state today.
This was stated by Valentyna Poltorak, manager of the Swiss-Ukrainian project DECIDE, during the Summit of the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities.
She stressed that communities, together with the state and international partners, should work to create a high-quality network of lyceums. Such institutions should become not only a place for high school students to receive education, but also a space for them to make an informed choice of their future profession and self-realisation in Ukraine.
According to Poltorak, the key goal of the reform of senior specialised schools is to give students more freedom in choosing their educational trajectory. This means reducing the number of secondary subjects and in-depth study of those areas that meet the interests and future plans of the child.
She also drew attention to the importance of developing technical and vocational education. In her opinion, the reform can help change attitudes towards working professions and increase their prestige. After all, specialists in applied professions such as welders, plumbers, mechanic drivers, and construction workers are extremely important for the country's recovery and development.
Poltorak noted that a specialised school should move away from the approach where high school students study a large number of subjects at the same time, some of which are not related to their future choice. Instead, the new model involves the gradual formation of an individual educational route.
In particular, in the 10th grade, students will still retain a broad general education base: about 70% of their study time will be spent on compulsory subjects, and 30% on elective courses. This will allow students to gradually decide on a field of study.
In the 12th grade, the emphasis will change: most of the time - approximately 70% - will be devoted to electives, while the compulsory part will be about 30%. This way, high school students will be able to focus on fewer subjects, rather than a dozen and a half, and study them more deeply and qualitatively.
