2010-11 world data on education 214569e

World Data on Education Données mondiales de l’éducation Datos Mundiales de Educación VII Ed. 2010/11 IBE/2011/CP/WDE/UN World Data on Education. 7th edition, 2010/11 Ukraine Updated version, August 2011. Principles and general objectives of education In the process of state building, the main objectives of the national education policy have been: • to bring Ukraine’s education to world levels; • to revive Ukraine’s original national character; • to fully renew the content, forms and methods of education as well as its organizational structure; • to enrich Ukraine’s intellectual potential and the well-being of its citizens; • to bring its economy and science to higher levels. Article 3 of the Law on General Secondary Education of 1999 stipulates that general secondary education shall be aimed at ensuring the comprehensive development of a personality based on universal human values and the principles of scientific approach, multicultural orientation, social nature of education, humanism, democracy, civic consciousness, mutual respect between nations and ethnic groups for the interest of the human beings, the family, the society, and the State. Laws and other basic regulations concerning education The education system is regulated by federal legislative acts. In their activities the educational establishments follow the guidelines laid down in the Constitution, adopted in 1996, and the Law on Education issued in 1996. In accordance with this Law, education is considered as a priority sphere for the social, economical, spiritual and cultural development of the country. Education is also regulated by a number of Parliament Resolutions, Presidential Decrees and Regulations, Resolutions and Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers, and normative acts of the Ministry of Education. In compliance with Article 53 of the Constitution, everyone has the right to free education in State and municipal educational establishments. Comprehensive secondary education (grades 1 to 9) is free and compulsory. Citizens also have the right to receive free higher education at State and municipal educational establishments on a competitive basis. This article also guarantees that citizens who belong to national minorities have the right to receive instruction in their native language at State and municipal educational establishments or through national cultural societies. On 10 February 1998, the Government adopted the Law on Vocational Education and Training including a comprehensive reform plan. The Law on Higher Education was adopted by the Parliament on 17 January 2002. The Law on Preschool Education was issued on 11 July 2001 and entered into force in August 2001. Compiled by UNESCO-IBE (http://www.ibe.unesco.org/) World Data on Education. 7th edition, 2010/11 The Law on General Secondary Education of 1999 (formally adopted in the year 2000) provides for significant changes in the structure, duration and content of basic and senior secondary education, to be introduced from 2001 over a period of more than ten years. The Law stipulates that elementary education will last four years and the admission age will be 6. Basic (lower secondary) education will last five years, completing the general secondary education programme. Upper secondary education will be a three-year programme mainly providing specialized training. The twelve-year programme will be compulsory for all pupils. (Ministry of Education, 1999). The State Standard for Primary Education has been approved by Resolution No. 1717 of 16 November 2000. The State Standard for General Basic and Complete Secondary Education has been approved by the Ministry of Education in October 2003. (MES, 2003). The National Doctrine for the Development of Education in the Twenty-first Century has been approved on 17 April 2002 by Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 347/2002. The Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 244 of 20 March 2008 on Additional Measures to Increase Education Quality in Ukraine proposes measures to provide at least 75% of children of the relevant age group with preschool education. Article 3 of the Law on General Secondary Education of 1999 specifies that general secondary education shall be a mandatory basic component of continuous (lifelong) education. Article 6 stipulates that all Ukrainian citizens shall be guaranteed available and free complete general secondary education in state and municipal educational institutions. Article 28 of the Law on Preschool Education of 2001 stipulates that a child has guaranteed by the State the right to free preschool education in state and municipal preschools, in addition to free medical care in these institutions. Administration and management of the education system Ukraine declared its independence on 24 August 1991 by the Act of State Sovereignty which was adopted by its highest legislative organ, the Supreme Rada (Council). The Act was approved by the majority of Ukraine’s citizens through a national referendum on 1 December 1991. The country is divided into twenty-four oblasts (provinces), one autonomous republic (Crimea) and 490 raions (divisions or districts). The Autonomous Republic of Crimea has been granted special status, with considerable autonomy in its internal affairs. Two cities (the capital city Kiev and Sevastopol) also has a special status. The Ministry of Education was created in accordance with Presidential Order No. 186 of 12 December 1991, merging the former Ministry of Higher Education, responsible for higher education institutions, and the Ministry of People’s Education, responsible for general secondary and vocational schools as well as pedagogic higher education establishments. The Ministry of Education and Science (MES) is the central body supervising and managing the education sector. Certain educational establishments fall under other ministries and departments, for example the Ministries of Health, Compiled by UNESCO-IBE (http://www.ibe.unesco.org/) World Data on Education. 7th edition, 2010/11 Culture, Agriculture, etc. These ministries manage their educational establishments, but they follow the Ministry of Education’s orders, instructions and decisions. The MES performs analysis and forecasts future developments, regulates the network of State educational institutions and elaborates the normative and legislative basis of their activity. The Ministry has also elaborated, adopted and published more than fifty rules, instructions and other normative documents within its sphere of competence. The Ministry also elaborates State requirements and standards on content and levels of education, on typical educational plans and programmes. It organizes the preparation and publication of textbooks and teaching aids, and determines the terms by which pupils are admitted to educational institutions. In 1993, the Ministry introduced tests as a method of measuring the achievement of school graduates. Management of the education system in the districts is conducted by the local governments. The Crimean Republic has its own Ministry of Education. The Local Councils of People’s Deputies (LCPD) are responsible for financing the educational establishments (preschools, general education schools and other institutions) from the local budgets, developing their network and their material-technical base, ensuring social security of the participants in the educational process, etc. Structural units under the executive committees of the LCPD may be created to organize the provision of education, improve the professional qualification of pedagogical staff, monitor the observance of State requirements according to the level of education, etc. Post- secondary and higher education institutions, professional and other state educational establishments are financed from the state budget. State educational establishments may have additional sources of financing such as revenues derived from educational services, scientific-research works, incomes from commercial activities, or various forms of subsidies and loans. The direct administration of the activities of an educational establishment is realized by its Board and the principal (head teacher, director, rector) in accordance with the statute of the establishment. These statutes are worked out on the basis of the regulations approved by the government. The Ukrainian Standardized External Testing Initiative (USETI) Alliance was established in May 2010 to implement external independent testing in Ukraine. The newly created Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment (UCEQA) is responsible for developing and implementing the testing initiative that will replace the entry examinations currently administered by individual universities and will help lay the legislative foundation for implementation of unified exams for all higher education institutions. Compiled by UNESCO-IBE (http://www.ibe.unesco.org/) World Data on Education. 7th edition, 2010/11 Structure and organization of the education system Ukraine: structure of the education system Source: NORRIC, 2009. Pre-school education Preschool education caters to children aged 3-5 years and is not compulsory. Preschool establishments include nurseries, nursery-kindergartens, kindergartens, and school-kindergartens. According to the Law on Preschool Education of 2001, preschool education should be provided free of charge in state and municipal institutions. Primary education The primary-secondary education school (basic school) remains the main type of educational establishment offering general education. Elementary education covers a Compiled by UNESCO-IBE (http://www.ibe.unesco.org/) World Data on Education. 7th edition, 2010/11 period of four years (grades 1 to 4) and the admission age is 6 or 7. It is the first stage of compulsory education. Secondary education Compulsory education is completed at basic secondary schools (grades 5 to 9). Upon completion of grade 9 students sit the final examinations and if successful receive the certificate of basic general secondary education. Basic school graduates have the possibility to continue their education at senior general secondary (high) schools (grades 10 and 11/12), professional trade schools, technical schools or vocational schools. Upon completion of general secondary education (grade 11/12) students sit the final examination and if successful are awarded the certificate of complete general secondary education. Higher education Higher education institutions require for admission the secondary school-leaving certificate and success in entrance examinations, the content of which vary according to the type of educational establishment. Post-secondary and higher education institutions are organized according four accreditation levels, namely vocational and technical schools and colleges (independent or affiliated to other higher education institution) at levels I-II, and higher education institutes, academies and universities at levels III-IV. Programmes leading to the diploma of junior specialist take no more than three years to complete. Pedagogical colleges offer programmes leading to the junior specialist diploma in teaching; the duration is three years for students with complete secondary education and four years for students with basic secondary education. Bachelor’s degree programmes normally last three to four years at levels I- II and four years at levels III-IV (five years in the case of pharmacy; six years in the case of medicine). Programmes leading to the degree of specialist generally require an additional one to one and a half years of study after the bachelor’s. Master’s degree programmes take one to two years to complete. The degree of candidate of sciences is awarded after three years of research following a master’s or a specialist degree. Three additional years are normally required for the degree of doctor of sciences. In 2006/07, programmes at the third and fourth accreditation levels began to be reorganized in accordance with the implementation of the Bologna process. The Law on General Secondary Education of 1999 introduced several changes in the structure, duration and content of basic and senior secondary education. The reform started in 2001 and is expected to be fully implemented by 2012/13. The Law stipulates that elementary education shall last four years and the admission age shall be 6. Basic (lower secondary) education shall last five years, and upper secondary education shall be a three-year programme mainly providing specialized training. The twelve-year programme shall be compulsory for all students. According to the Article 15 of the Law, the number of instructional hours (sixty minutes long) per year shall be: 700 in grades 1 and 2; 790 in grades 3 and 4; 860 in grade 5; 890 in grades 6 and 7; 950 in grades 8 and 9; and 1,030 in grades 10 to 12. On the basis of Article 16, the school year shall begin on 1 September and ends not later than 1 July. At the elementary level it shall consist of not less than 175 working days, and of 190 working days (excluding periods devoted to examinations) at all the other levels. The Compiled by UNESCO-IBE (http://www.ibe.unesco.org/) World Data on Education. 7th edition, 2010/11 average duration of teaching periods shall be thirty-five minutes in grade 1, forty minutes in grades 2-4, and forty-five minutes in grades 5-12. The school year normally consisted of 160–165 working days. The educational process T Pre-primary education On the basis of the Law of Preschool Education of 2001, preschool education is an obligatory primary component of the system of continuous education. All Ukrainian citizens shall have the right to get preschool education in preschool educational institutions as well as in the family. Preschool education is an integral process that should provide for the comprehensive development of children in accordance with their inclinations and their individual, intellectual and physical capabilities and cultural needs. Preschool educational institutions should ensure the physical, intellectual and spiritual development of children, their social adaptation and readiness to continue their education. Preschool age children include infants, and junior, middle and senior preschoolers. A central place in the curriculum of pre-school education is occupied by activities aiming at developing children’s moral qualities and aesthetic tastes, and strengthening their physical condition. With older children more attention is paid to the development of their abilities, memory, thinking and language skills, etc. Preschool establishments include nurseries, nursery-kindergartens, kindergartens, and school-kindergartens (the latter mainly in rural areas). Other institutions providing preschool education include: orphanages, nursery-kindergartens of compensating type, kindergartens of a boarding-school type, nursery of a family type, child development centers, and orphanages of family type. Preschool educational institutions must be licensed. The average workload for children is fifteen lessons per week (each lesson lasting thirty minutes). The preschool curriculum has been updated. The board of Ministry of Education and Science has approved the basic programme for preschool aged children I am in the world. This programme is based on a competency-based approach, and in order to implement it several educational and methodological materials have been developed. (MES, 2008). In 1997, there were about 18,400 pre-school institutions with a total of 1.7 million children enrolled. About 837,000 children were taught in Ukrainian and 329,000 in Russian. There were also institutions teaching in Hungarian, Rumanian, Crimean Tatar and other languages. In 2001, there were approximately 17,200 preschools with some 1,055,000 children enrolled (about 39% of the age group concerned). (Ministry of Education, 2001). The number of preschools was about 15,700 in 2002/03 (MES, 2004). The Ministry of Economy reports that in 2008 the net enrolment ratio at the preschool level (children aged 3-5) was 88% in urban areas and 47.6% in rural areas. Overall, in 2008 there were 15,400 preschool institutions in the country (of which Compiled by UNESCO-IBE (http://www.ibe.unesco.org/) World Data on Education. 7th edition, 2010/11 1,200 were not operational) with some 1,195,000 children enrolled, representing 57% of the children in the corresponding age group. (Ministry of Economy, 2010). According to MES, in 2008 some 8,700 preschools were in rural areas, enrolling about 221,000 children. The increase of children’s involvement in preschool education in recent years is the result of the introduction of different forms of preschool education provision, such as full-time or part-time groups, multi-aged groups, play groups, consulting groups, compensative groups (specialized and sanatoria based), social rehabilitation groups, and development groups and centers at preschool educational establishments. (MES, 2008). The Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey 2005 found that 58% of the children aged 36-47 months were attending early childhood education, and in the case of the children aged 48-59 months the percentage was 67.2%. About 65% of the 6-year-olds attending the first grade of primary education had attended a preschool programme the previous year. (Source: UNICEF). According to the State Statistics Committee, by the end of 2009 there were about 15,500 preschool education institutions (6,700 in urban areas and 8,800 in rural areas), of which some 1,100 were not in operation. The total enrolment was about 1,214,000 children (of whom 307,000 children in rural areas), representing 56% of the children in the corresponding age group (68% in urban areas and 33% in rural areas). (State Statistics Committee, 2010). Elementary and lower secondary education (basic school) As mentioned, the primary-secondary education school (basic school) is the main type of educational establishment offering general education. Elementary education covers a period of four years (grades 1 to 4), followed by lower secondary (grades 5 to 9) which complete compulsory education. Article 3 of the Law on General Secondary Education states that general secondary education shall consists of the target-oriented process of mastering classified knowledge on nature, human beings, society, culture, and production of means of cognitive and practical activities resulting in intellectual, social and physical development of the individuals and constituting the foundation for further education and working life. Elementary education provides general development for children, the ability to read, write, knowledge of main arithmetic rules, knowledge of the use of books to obtain information, gaining general knowledge about the world, assimilation of moral values, development of the first skills. Lower secondary provides for thorough development of pupils’ personality, qualities and talents, building upon knowledge and skills acquired at the elementary level. There are two components in the curricula, e.g. State and school. The State component provides the necessary level and volume of knowledge for every pupil. It includes: languages (native, state and foreign language and literature); mathematics; fundamental principles of information; social subjects (history, law); geography; natural science (physics, chemistry, biology); handicrafts; physical training; and art Compiled by UNESCO-IBE (http://www.ibe.unesco.org/) World Data on Education. 7th edition, 2010/11 subjects. The school component is comprised of subjects of the students’ choic