New Regulations for Distance Learning Amidst War
The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has announced new regulations governing distance learning under martial law.
This information was shared on the Ministry's website, emphasizing the importance of the changes.
The amendments concern orders No. 1112 (dated August 7, 2024) and No. 1115 (dated September 8, 2020) and are part of the "School Offline" initiative. Its goal is to ensure access to quality education for all children, regardless of their location, whether in government-controlled areas, temporarily occupied territories, or abroad.
The ministry noted that the changes in distance learning were a result of constructive collaboration with communities and regions, and also took into account feedback received during public consultations. "The adjustments made are tailored to the conditions of border and frontline regions," emphasized the Ministry.
According to the new regulations, the minimum class size will be 20 students, but for schools in temporarily occupied territories, frontline areas, and villages, this can be reduced to 10 students, while for other cities it can be 15. These requirements do not apply to special educational institutions.
Additionally, schools can operate remotely even if one or two class sections are missing.
Separate classes for Ukrainian studies will also be implemented, where students will learn under a unified educational program within the same class.
Children abroad can study remotely only in Ukrainian studies (5-8 hours/week) if they attend a local school; they can study fully remotely if they do not attend a local school; or choose individual forms of education such as external studies or home schooling.
For children in temporarily occupied territories, individual teaching with teacher payment is provided, even if there are no open classes in the school.
Moreover, if a child is in an area where combat operations are ongoing or possible, they can continue studying remotely at their original school from which they left. They do not need to transfer to another institution for distance learning. However, if there is an opportunity to attend in-person classes with shelter available at the school, this remains a priority for students.
The Ministry is also establishing a reserve of teachers from frontline and affected regions, allowing them to undergo training while receiving a regular salary. This reserve will apply to educators from Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Luhansk, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Chernihiv regions. Relevant changes to the reserve policy are expected to be approved by the government soon.
All adapted changes regarding distance learning will come into effect on September 1, 2025.
The Cabinet of Ministers has also allocated 370 million UAH for the enhancement of educational facilities and the establishment of modern STEM laboratories.
