Major Changes in School Funding: What Awaits Ukrainian Education from September 1
As the new academic year begins in Ukraine, a radical reform in the educational funding system is set to take effect, directly impacting hundreds of schools across the country.
According to Sergey Babak, head of the parliamentary committee on education, science, and innovation, starting from September 1, the government will cease funding over 500 educational institutions where the student enrollment is less than 45 pupils.
This means that every twentieth school in Ukraine will face financial independence challenges or alternative support mechanisms.
Babak emphasized that this decision is driven by the need to reduce expenses for maintaining facilities with very few students and questionable quality of education.
At the same time, he pointed out that primary schools are unaffected by this reform, as they play a crucial role in the educational structure, and local communities have had a year and a half to prepare for these changes.
In his commentary, Babak clarified that the initiative does not mean the closure of schools but aims to improve the quality of education.
He highlighted that small schools with few students lack proper socialization environments, and the educational process in such settings is ineffective.
Additionally, Babak discussed the situation with remote learning for students from occupied territories and abroad, which requires special solutions.
The goal is not to close schools but to create equitable access to high-quality education regardless of the children’s location.
Babak also stressed that classes with fewer than five students hinder proper development and communication, which are fundamental for education.
Conversely, in larger classes with 25-30 students, children learn not only from teachers but also from each other—sharing experiences, competing, and growing.
This, he argued, is genuine education.
He added that communities retain the right to fund small schools at their own expense, but the government must ensure standard conditions for all.
Furthermore, starting next year, funding for schools with fewer than 60 students will be discontinued.
In this context, it’s important to remember that the number of first-graders is decreasing annually due to demographic trends—Oksana Onyschenko reports that this pattern will persist.
The decline affects both schools and universities, posing new challenges for Ukraine’s educational system.
For more details on this situation and potential solutions, read our article “Education During War: How Schools Are Losing Students and Universities Are Losing Applicants.”