Liliya Hrynevych: We will get new quality levels in Ukrainian schools when we overcome the digital divide between those who teach and those who learn

On the last day of the school year, the “Last Bell”, on 27 May, Liliya Hrynevych, Minister of Education and Science,  visited secondary school № 63 in Kyiv to talk to its teachers and pupils.

During the meeting with school-leavers and teachers of the school, Liliya Hrynevych stressed the importance of educational content for the creation of the New Ukrainian School. "We need right now a New Ukrainian School. A school which will prepare citizens for life in an independent European country. The New Ukrainian School needs to start with new educational content which gives competencies for the 21st century", said the Minister.

Liliya Hrynevych stressed the special role of teachers and their training for educational reform. The New Ukrainian School can not exist without teachers who use modern teaching methods, who can communicate with generations of children who can often, better than adults, use digital technology. "It is important to overcome the digital divide between those who teach and those who learn. When we do, we will get a new quality level in Ukrainian schools", said the Minister.

Liliya Hrynevych stressed the importance of communication between the Ministry and educationalists, and appealed to teachers, inviting everyone to join the public discussion on the Concept of the New Ukrainian School, which will be held at meetings during August. "I urge that we all work together to be on the same page. We need to do everything so that all of our children will be competitive and confident citizens ", said Liliya Hrynevych.

During the meeting with Liliya Hrynevych, Minister of Education and Science, teachers and school-leavers shared their views on how syllabuses can be congested by unnecessary information, the need to reduce the number of subjects in schools, the relevance of educational material and textbooks to modern life, and introducing senior specialized schools, with pupils’ choice of subjects . "There are syllabuses that are now limiting the range of competencies needed by a child in today's world. We need to work on this, to change", said the Minister. In addition, today we need to resolve teacher training and the social status of teachers, if we are to truly reform secondary education.

The Minister congratulated the school-leavers on their special day, and described the horizons for modern learning with new curricula for those entering higher education, following the implementation of the new Higher Education law and curricula for dual-major degrees at Ukrainian universities.

Liliya Hrynevych expressed her wishes that the graduates will achieve their dreams, support their parents and not forget their secondary school. "There is nothing more pleasant for teachers than when it comes to a graduation ceremony, when teachers sees the results of their complex work", added the Minister.

Background: In 2016, 35 pupils of school № 63 in Kyiv will  receive certificates of secondary education. Viktoriya Kabushko is the school Principal, who moved to Kyiv from the Luhansk area to achieve her appointment.