The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy opened the morning plenary session. The Chairman then informed that the members of the Cabinet of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister V.Hroisman, were taking part in the meeting.

The questions hour began.

The presiding officer gave the floor to the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Liliia Hrynevych, who then delivered her report on preparations for the new academic year.


Картинки по запросу лилия гриневич фото

On funding

She stated that the Government has fulfilled its obligations on a gradual increase in education funding. According to her, if in 2016 the funding made 5.72% of GDP, then in 2018 it has amounted to 6.7% of GDP. This suggests that there is a progress to targeted 7% of GDP for education.

Cutting lines, boosting seats

"For several years in a row, ensuring equal access to pre-school education for all children has been a priority for the Government and local self-government bodies.  If in 2016 the queue to pre-school establishments in Ukraine was almost ninety-one thousand places, then on the eve of this academic year it is just over forty-six thousand places,” said the Minister. L.Hrynevych drew attention to the fact that taking into account the current demographic situation, the number of pre-school age children is increasing. Given that this year, there have been created eight and a half thousand places it, nonetheless, cut the line by only 700 seats.  This means that the Ministry, in conjunction with local self-government bodies, should accelerate the pace of creation the seats in accordance with the line-cut plan initiated by the Prime Minister.

Liliia Hrynevych pointed out a positive tendency towards increasing the number of school-age children.

What new in primary education?

"All children ought to feel three important changes in primary education: the first is a new content of education, secondly – well retrained teachers (all primary school teachers have completed advanced training - generally speaking, it is forty and a half thousand teachers), and in the third place - first-graders have to dive into an updated  educational environment.

Unparalleled investments

To bring the environment to reality, the Government has gone to unprecedented investments: one billion hryvnia to remodel the educational environment of primary school - the first class.  "It was part of the work that will only have a result in joint efforts with local self-government bodies," said the Minister.

Reforms in vocational educ

L. Hrynevych informed about the reforms in the system of vocational education, having emphasized the need for cooperation with local self-government bodies in transferring the property of vocational education institutions from state to communal property, about the results of the entrance campaign that had gone smoothly. The Minister also informed about the continuation of transparent access to the magistracy (graduate courses or master’s degree program) in the most ranking specialties.

Concluding her speech, L. Hrynevych appealed to parliamentarians for their support in keeping the reform up, inasmuch it seems to be a long-running process.

The Prime Minister and the members of the Government answered the questions from the floor.

The questions hour ended at this point. 

Return to posts

Printable version