Content of the letter:
Dear colleagues!
The Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Liliya Hrynevych, identified one of the priority tasks of updating educational programs, introducing a competency-based approach, and modernizing the content of education.
Responding to numerous appeals from teachers and parents, the ministry is starting to review programs from elementary school. The goal is to finalize the programs taking into account the age characteristics of the children, the challenges of the present and the needs of the future. We strive to make the programs so that it is easy for the teacher to answer the questions of the children - why we teach it.
In the coming months, first of all, programs for grades 1-4 for general education institutions with the Ukrainian language of instruction should be updated and unloaded. They are followed by programs for the 9th grade, for which new textbooks are to be printed next year.
Changes to the programs must be approved before the August conferences so that the implementation of the updated content will have a positive effect on students in the new academic year.
The Ministry of Education offers a public program update mechanism. Practical teachers, innovative teachers, methodologists of primary education, specialists in basic competencies, educational experts, psychologists, pediatricians, developers of online courses and original programs are invited to participate.
We invite everyone who shares the position of the new Minister of Education and Science to cooperate: the Ukrainian school has many good traditions, but it is time to update the content of children's education, according to the needs and challenges of the 21st century.
We set a complex task: not to remove "something extra from the programs", but to remove duplication between subjects according to clear criteria, as well as to integrate such modern competencies as digital, entrepreneurial, civic, and communication literacy into the content of existing basic subjects.
Implementation action plan:
1. By June 1, 2016, working groups will be formed for each program for general educational institutions with the Ukrainian language of instruction (grades 1-4). In each group, 1-2 moderators are appointed who will coordinate the work, summarize the submitted proposals, and organize the further work of the group.
2. From June 2 to June 19, 2016, educational programs for primary school are posted on a public platform for general discussion. Anyone who wants to, after logging in, will be able to express their views on program updates.
3. From June 20 to June 26, members of the working group will summarize the proposals received and make appropriate changes.
4. From June 27 to July 3, updated programs are publicly displayed on the platform for public discussion.
5. From July 4, working groups make the latest changes, prepare comparative tables and methodological recommendations for the implementation of updated programs.
At the end of July, the updated programs must be reviewed and approved by the Collegium of the Ministry of Education.
How to join:
If you have relevant education, expertise, development or experience, have practical experience in writing training programs and methodological recommendations, are ready to share your knowledge - we invite you to join the work in working groups.
It is necessary to fill out the online form no later than May 30: http://goo.gl/forms/fFMD0Ox0Dc.
