Graduates who do not plan to enter higher educational institutions this year may not take the state final certification in the form of external examination. Corresponding changes to the legislation are currently being prepared.

This was said by the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education and Science, People's Deputy from "Servant of the People" Serhii Babak during the meeting of the Conciliation Council.

First of all, Babak confirmed that the money for conducting the trial ZNO, which they decided to cancel, will be compensated.

"Regarding the refund of funds for the trial ZNO. The government is already working on the issue of the mechanism for returning these funds," said Glodova of the specialized committee.

He also talked about the changes to the legislation regarding the non-obligation of the external examination for graduates who will not enter higher education this year.

"The second is the state final certification. Amendments to the Covid-19 law are currently being prepared, which will allow 11th-grade students to be exempted from passing the state final certification in the form of external examinations. They will receive certificates of complete general secondary education by the end of June. This applies only to those children who, for one reason or another, do not plan to enter higher education institutions this year, and this step can reduce the load on testing centers by approximately 30%," said Babak.

At the same time, he emphasized that graduates who want to enter a higher educational institution this year must pass the external examination.

"Regarding the external examination. Those children who plan to enter higher education institutions this year must pass the external examination. And the ZNO must take place under any conditions," Babak emphasized.

He also explained the "fundamental role" of VET in Ukrainian society.

"The first is to ensure equal access to higher education, when children enter because of knowledge, and not for anything else. When talented children from the village can gain access to the most prestigious universities in the country. The second fundamental role is the elimination of corruption. ZNO at 99.9% destroyed corruption at the time of admission," the People's Deputy emphasized.

He also noted that any attempts to cancel the external examination will undermine the high public trust in this form of certification of graduates.

"This reform has a very high level of trust in society. Trust in ZNO was built up over the years. And society will take any steps to cancel or simplify it very painfully," Babak emphasized.

The head of the specialized committee assured that the testing points "will be the safest places in the country."

"The chief sanitary doctor has created such a clear and strict security protocol for the conduct of the ZNO that the centers for conducting the ZNO will be the safest in the country on these dates," Babak assured.

He emphasized that "it is necessary to strengthen security and control over the conduct, and not cancel one of the most successful reforms."