During the meeting on March 5, variants of reforming system of creating textbooks were discussed.
The meeting was attended by Kvit S.M. – Minister of Education and Science, Sovsun I.R. – First Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Polianskyi P.B. - Deputy Minister of Education and Science, representatives of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, publishers, representatives of pedagogues and parents, journalists.
Participants
noted that over the last years, authority to approve and fund textbooks was
concentrated in the Ministry of Education and Science. As a result of
monopolization of this sphere, quality of textbooks has always been worsening,
and the price has been rising.
Chairperson of the Committee on Science and Education Lilia Hrynevych noted that quality of textbooks will increase only under the condition of transparent competition.
Chairperson of the Committee believes that manuscripts of textbooks should be examined only by independent of the Ministry of Science and Education expert councils and the books, approved by experts, should be chosen by schools. The government should allocate money for the purchase of educational material.
Apart form this, L.Hrynevych noted that several bureaucratic orders of the Ministry of Science and Education should be canceled.
L.Hrynevych upheld the first steps taken by the Ministry of Science and
Education aiming at freeing teachers from bureaucratic restrictions and
saving parents’ money.