In the context of Ukraine’s ongoing education reform, legislative changes are seen as a key instrument for improving the network of specialised academic lyceums and enhancing the quality of upper secondary education. The reform of senior school education is not limited to technical adjustments but represents a comprehensive transformation. It aims to establish strong lyceums that will offer students the opportunity to choose specialised learning tracks, access high-quality education, and be better prepared for their future professional or academic paths. However, alongside the new opportunities, the reform also presents significant challenges — including the modernisation of the school network, adequate staffing, and ensuring equitable access for every hromada.
These issues were the focus of a webinar held on 9 April, organised by the team of the Polaris Programme titled “Legal Framework for the Formation of a Network of Specialised Academic Lyceums”. The event brought together over 350 participants — including heads of territorial hromadas and their deputies for education, heads of local education authorities, local council members, and principals of general secondary education institutions from across Ukraine. It was conducted in the format of an open professional discussion and equal dialogue, fostering a space for exchange of expertise, concerns, and ideas on the future of specialised upper secondary education.
The webinar programme covered four key thematic blocks:
• The Model of Specialised Secondary School
• Formation of the Lyceum Network
• Ensuring Access to Education
• Questions from Participants
A Parliamentary Perspective: The Need for Flexible Legislation
In his address, Serhii Kolyboshyn, Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science and Innovation, emphasised that the current draft laws require further refinement to align with other legislative acts:
“Neither the main nor the alternative draft law fully addresses the challenges related to the functioning of specialised upper secondary schools. What is needed are gradual amendments to other laws and the development of secondary legislation that can respond to the dynamic nature of the changes taking place.”
At the same time, the MP urged the professional community to avoid political rhetoric:
“There are many valid reasons to critique these legislative changes. But doing so to serve the interests of one’s superiors is certainly not the role educators should be playing.”
The Ministry’s Perspective: Reform as a Logical Continuation of Change
Representing the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Deputy Minister Nadiia Kuzmychova joined the discussion. She emphasised that the reform of specialised upper secondary education is not a standalone initiative but rather part of a broader transformation under the New Ukrainian School reform:
“Specialised upper secondary education is not a separate reform — it is the third stage in the implementation of the New Ukrainian School. We are now in the phase of careful and timely preparation, with two more years ahead. We fully understand that educational transformation cannot be achieved in a month or even a year.”
She also highlighted the importance of ensuring access to education for all students:
“The inability to establish a lyceum within a hromada does not mean the absence of lyceums within accessible reach. Every student will receive a complete general secondary education… Starting from 2027, students finishing Year 9 must be offered a real choice. This choice will not suddenly emerge in August 2026 or 2027 — it must be capable of providing deep specialisation, solid knowledge, and the development of cross-cutting competencies within the chosen profile. Achieving this requires a joint effort across the entire system — from legislative initiatives to executive authorities and local self-governance, who are responsible for building this infrastructure on the ground.”
Specialised Education Requires Change: Challenges in Staffing and Infrastructure
Oleh Fasolia, Head of the “Education at Local and Regional Levels” Direction of the Polaris Programme, emphasised the root causes behind the need to reform the network:
“Today’s educational network is not designed for a three-year term of study in senior school. It is more oriented towards teachers than students. Moreover, specialised education requires an exceptionally strong staffing capacity.”
The expert also pointed to one of the main problems — the lack of expertise due to the small number of highly specialised professionals in smaller schools:
“In schools with small numbers of students and classes, teachers often teach two, three, or even more subjects, sometimes not even in their area of expertise. Providing high-quality specialised education in such conditions is impossible.”
Time to Act Systematically
Serhii Diatlenko, education expert at the local and regional levels for the Polaris Programme, who moderated the webinar, emphasised that important steps should not be delayed:
“We cannot postpone the formation of the new lyceum network, as it is only one component of the senior school reform. Other components include modernising the content of education and transitioning to a 12-year system. The current network is simply unable to support the implementation of these elements.”
The webinar served as a platform for analysing and discussing the challenges and opportunities related to the reform of specialised education. The legislative changes were viewed not only as legal documents but as an opportunity for a quality transformation of Ukraine’s educational landscape.
Discussions among government officials, parliamentarians, experts, and educators demonstrated that change is only possible through collective action and continuous dialogue at all levels of educational governance.
The programme will continue to support communities on this path — the path towards strong, modern, and accessible education for all.
