Reforming Teacher Professional Development in Ukraine: Challenges and Opportunities
Ukraine’s education system is currently undergoing significant transformations in the area of teacher professional development.
Last year, the country celebrated promises of salary increases for teachers, only to later hear news from high government offices about launching a new reform initiative titled ‘Money follows the teacher.’ The idea, although not new, emphasizes that salary is an important motivator but not the sole factor influencing teacher performance.
Equally crucial is providing teachers with modern, effective tools to ensure their continuous growth and adaptation to current challenges.
Only through such measures can Ukrainian education keep pace with the rapid development of educational technologies worldwide.
However, the reform strategy must transcend mere declarations, aiming instead for a deep, consistent approach aligned with global trends and the actual needs of educators.
This vision was articulated during the ‘August Conference 2025,’ and initial steps are now observable.
Deputy Minister Nadija Kuzmičova has introduced a conceptual framework via webinar, but whether this constitutes a genuine systemic change remains questionable.
The problem has been brewing for a long time: teachers complain that existing courses for professional development are often outdated, overly theoretical, and disconnected from real classroom realities.
Meanwhile, the private sector has emerged as a more flexible and relevant alternative, resulting in a shadow market of counterfeit certificates.
According to data from a 2023 survey conducted by the Ministry of Education and the Institute of Educational Analytics, about 20% of teachers rely solely on private platforms, 50% combine private providers with official institutions, and the remaining 30% work exclusively with the institute for postgraduate pedagogical education (IPPO).
To address these issues, the Ministry has announced plans to create a unified digital platform developed by EdCamp Ukraine, which will host all providers of teacher training courses.
A memorandum is scheduled for signing on November 1 to transfer this platform to government ownership, though details remain scarce.
The platform will facilitate registration of teachers and providers, and for better course selection, teachers will pass an online test—an idea that might not be very popular among educators.
Many other ‘innovations’ are merely outdated norms from 2019, allowing courses from private providers, on-site training, and supervision by school-based mentors.
These steps are essentially digital versions of old administrative procedures, not transformative reforms.
The real issues lie deeper: over the past two years, 40,000 teachers have left the profession, and a further 40% are expected to do so by 2030.
The system faces systemic problems that are rarely addressed publicly.
According to the UNESCO report ‘Understanding the Needs of Ukrainian Teacher Training Institutions,’ there are critical gaps in quality control, resource provision, and systemic support.
For instance, there is no independent quality evaluation of courses; current mechanisms for feedback and licensing are biased and unreliable.
The report advocates for external accreditation agencies such as the State Quality Service or NAZYVO.
Additionally, training institutes lack necessary funding, personnel, and modern digital infrastructure, often dependent on uneven regional budgets, which deepens inequality.
A national standard for funding postgraduate teacher training is needed, along with a state program supporting digital infrastructure updates and a unified national digital strategy aligned with EU standards.
The state should also foster genuine professional communities of teachers, rather than superficial associations or top-down initiatives.
Feedback from educators emphasizes the importance of becoming active participants in their professional growth, rather than just passive recipients of administrative decisions.
Fourthly, the regulatory framework requires revision: clarifying the roles and responsibilities of various institutions, establishing licensing procedures for private providers, and integrating certification results into a unified digital database to prevent fraud.
Without fundamental reforms and political will, these superficial measures will continue to fall short.
The overarching concern is that current initiatives resemble surface-level repairs rather than building a solid, sustainable system.
The future of Ukrainian education depends on a comprehensive reform that involves strong political commitment and a shift towards quality, inclusiveness, and innovation.
Until then, trust among teachers and the wider society in reform efforts will remain fragile, and the true potential of Ukrainian educators will stay unrealized.