This chapter, authored by Liliia Hrynevych (V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University), Volodymyr Bozhynskyi (V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University), Oleksandr Elkin (EdCamp Ukraine), Halyna Kovalchuk (EdCamp Ukraine), Yevhen Nikolaiev (V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University), Grygoriy Riy (V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University) and EdCamp Ukraine NGO, focusses on the current Ukrainian context of pre-service and in-service professional learning. The chapter reflects the authors’ assessment of the current strengths, challenges and barriers in professional learning in Ukraine, as well as their assessment of some of the potential avenues for future reform efforts.
Teacher Professional Learning
Drawing Upon International Practice for a Future Vision for Ukraine
Abstract
The implementation of the New Ukrainian School (also “NUS”) reform alongside the challenges posed by the pandemic and the full-scale war following Russia’s invasion, create new demands for the initial and ongoing professional learning of Ukrainian teachers. Current circumstances require teachers to acquire new professional competencies to equip the next generation with the skills needed to rebuild the country. The basis for these urgent changes in professional learning is provided by progressive educational legislation, which reflects modern expectations of the teaching profession, as well as the Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine up to 2027 which outlines a renewal of approaches to initial teacher education and ongoing professional learning, as well as a new teacher remuneration system.
To explore potential directions for reforming the system of professional learning, state institutions and civil society organisations in Ukraine, as well as the international expert community, were engaged. Specifically, at the request of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) analysed approaches to teacher learning from both national and sub-national education systems around the world. This analytical work was summarised and presented for review by the Ukrainian educational community, and is presented here in Chapters 2 to 5. It was discussed during the seminar “International Pre-service and In-service Teacher Learning Cases – for Ukraine”, held on 13 and 14 May 2025 in a peer-to-peer format. Over the course of two days, Ukrainian educators engaged with the analytical work of the OECD, attended detailed presentations by international experts on their respective national experiences, and took part in group discussions aligned by shared professional interests and expertise. Based on these discussions, the participating groups identified practices with strong relevance and potential for adaptation within the Ukrainian teacher learning system.
Building on this the seminar, this chapter was created. It outlines Ukraine’s experience in teacher learning and professional development, identifies key issues and challenges, and provides recommendations for updating and enhancing this sector. It reflects the perspectives and assessment of the authors, a group of experienced education analysts with in-depth knowledge of the Ukrainian education system. The chapter outlines some of the current strengths and challenges in Ukraine’s approach to professional learning. For ease of cross-referencing, the structure of this chapter mirrors that of the preceding chapters and the overarching structure of four ambitions and corresponding levers (see Chapter 1, Box 1.1). For each of these levers, the chapter also tentatively presents some reflections on potential directions that could be explored for strengthening professional learning in Ukraine, informed by international experiences and the aforementioned seminar’s discussions.
An underlying challenge is the low status of the profession and its subsequently declining appeal among prospective students. Stakeholders may consider re-examining renumeration alongside addressing the intellectual attractiveness of the profession, such as through clear opportunities for professional growth and reliable recognition of this through the career structure.
Initial teacher education can better align to contemporary school realities, particularly in terms of the implementation of the New Ukrainian School reform’s more competency-based pedagogy and in responding to wartime challenges.
Valuable mechanisms are in place to support new teachers in their transition to the classroom and professional life, but there may be scope to enhance the actual day-to-day implementation of these mechanisms through more specialised training efforts and peer-support networks.
Teacher appraisal remains a demanding yet highly formulaic process that does not necessarily reflect a teacher’s actual professional competence, and which does not serve as a sufficient motivational incentive for professional learning.
Recent development of professional learning platforms in Ukraine have helped to centralise access to learning opportunities while the financing system for professional learning has also been updated and diversified. There remains scope for greater co-ordination to create a more unified system with clearer mechanisms of quality control in terms of provision and delivery.
Developing stronger cultures of inquiry and research-use within and across schools demands capacity-building among school leaders and sustained support through networks.
The Revolution of Dignity (2013–2014) and the signing of the Association Agreement with the European Union in 2014 marked a turning point in the reform of Ukrainian education. These events provided significant momentum for embedding democratic principles within the governance of the education system. Ukraine has committed to European integration as a strategic priority. Accordingly, Ukrainian education legislation has been fully revised to align with EU policies, particularly in the area of general secondary education.
Since 2017, the New Ukrainian School (NUS) reform has been in progress, introducing a shift to competency-based learning, the integration of socio-emotional skills into learning outcomes, and the extension of specialised upper secondary education to three years to support more personalised and in-depth learning. The success of these and other elements of the reform is contingent on a well-prepared teaching workforce (Box 6.1).
New approaches to the professional development of modern teachers in Ukraine are outlined in key regulatory documents adopted as part of the New Ukrainian School reform. These include: the Law of Ukraine “On Education” (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2017[1]), the Law of Ukraine “On Complete General Secondary Education” (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2020[2]), Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 800, dated 21 August 2019, “Some Issues of Improving the Qualifications of Pedagogical and Scientific-Pedagogical Workers” (Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, 2019[3]), Order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 988-р, dated 14 December 2016, “On Approval of the Concept for the Implementation of State Policy in the Field of Reforming General Secondary Education: The ‘New Ukrainian School’ for the Period Until 2029” (Cabinet of the Ministers of Ukraine, 2016[4]).
In 2020, the requirements for teachers’ professional competencies were formalised through the professional standards for the positions of Primary Teacher of a General Secondary Education Institution and Teacher of a General Secondary Education Institution (Ministry of Economic Development Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine, 2020[5]). These standards were updated in 2024, and since then, the revised professional standard Teacher of a General Secondary Education Institution has been in effect (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2024[6]).
At the same time, the implementation of the New Ukrainian School reform is taking place under the pressure of significant challenges. Following the 2013-2014 ‘Revolution of Dignity’, Russia illegally annexed Crimea and temporarily occupied regions in Eastern Ukraine, with Russia fomenting armed conflict and instability. The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a radical shift in the organisation of the educational process in Ukrainian schools, which were forced to transition to distance and blended learning formats. This shift highlighted the urgent need to enhance teachers’ skills in using information technology and digital tools, as well as in diagnosing and addressing learning losses.
Subsequently, the outbreak of full-scale war following Russia’s invasion further compounded these difficulties, resulting in the widespread destruction of Ukraine’s educational infrastructure. As of early 2024, according to a report on direct damage to infrastructure, at least 380 facilities had been destroyed and 3 429 damaged as a result of Russia’s military aggression. Among these are 1 888 schools across 21 regions of Ukraine, with the Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions suffering the greatest losses (Kyiv School of Economics, 2024[7]).
These challenges have been exacerbated by the forced displacement of the population, including both students and teachers. According to one study, between September 2021 and 2023, the number of teachers declined by 22.7% in the eastern region, 18.8% in the southern region, and 7.3% in the northern region of Ukraine (Bozhynskyi et al., 2024[8]). In front-line areas, education is primarily delivered through distance or blended formats due to ongoing security concerns and the lack of adequate shelter infrastructure. The war has also led to a significant increase in the workload of Ukrainian teachers. Around 80% of teachers report that their workload has increased since the start of the full-scale invasion (GoGlobal, 2023[9]). This rise is largely attributed to the need to conduct lessons in multiple formats (in-person and online), increased communication with students and their families, efforts to compensate for missed lessons caused by air raids and power outages, and the transition of students to family- or externally-based forms of education. This intensified workload, combined with prolonged work under martial law conditions, has contributed to widespread professional burnout among teachers (Kohut and Nazarenko, 2023[10]).
Funding for education was reduced, which temporarily slowed the implementation of the reform at the basic secondary school level (Ukrinform, 2023[11]). Due to a lack of financial resources, it was not possible to fully modernise the educational environment. Unlike the roll-out of the New Ukrainian School reform in primary education, no centralised teacher ongoing learning was organised, and updated textbooks were not published (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, n.d., p. 68[12]). Research indicates that nearly half of Ukrainian teachers working at this level lack a sufficient understanding of the core principles and key features of the reform (Editorial Board of "NUS", 2024[12]).
In addition, the challenges of maintaining educational provision under martial law, combined with the challenges of attracting people to the profession, have resulted in a shortage of subject teachers – particularly in rural areas and regions most affected by the war.
Responding to the demands of wartime conditions has required significant adjustments to school curricula. These include the integration of topics related to everyday resilience, civil protection, and Ukraine’s evolving role as a bastion of democratic values. These show the evolving priorities of the teaching profession: the main tasks have become the preservation of children’s health and life, mastering the technologies of creative development of students to increase the psycho-rehabilitation effect of the educational process (Sysoieva, 2024[13]). These developments, in turn, necessitate updates to teachers’ professional learning. Particularly important are skills in providing psychological support to students, ensuring self-care for teachers working under martial law (Nadyukova and Frenzel, 2025[14]), operating effectively in digital environments, and adapting to flexible learning formats (Hrynevych, Linnik and Herczyński, 2023[15]).
Lever 1. Process for selecting candidates for the profession
Overview of entry requirements
Ukrainian law1 stipulates that individuals are eligible for employment as teachers if they are fluent in Ukrainian; possess high moral standards; are in satisfactory physical and mental health enabling them to fulfil professional duties; and
either hold a degree in education or a professional teaching qualification,
or have completed higher education in any (including non-educational) discipline (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2020[2]).
This means Ukrainian legislation allows access to the teaching profession via three main educational pathways: completion of a pedagogical education; completion of higher education in a non-pedagogical discipline; acquisition of a professional teaching qualification.
The pedagogical education route in Ukraine consists of two pedagogical degree programmes: “primary education” and “secondary education”. The primary education programme does not include subject specialisations, its graduates teach in primary schools (Grades 1–4). The secondary education programme includes subject-specific training, enabling graduates to teach one or two (occasionally three) school subjects. These graduates work in Grades 5–11. There is no distinct educational track for teachers of lower secondary (Grades 5–9) and specialised upper secondary (Grades 10–11, and starting from 2027 also Grade 12). Subject teachers may teach in any grade. Teachers of certain subjects (e.g. physical education, foreign languages) often teach across both primary and secondary levels.
Pedagogical education in Ukraine follows a concurrent model. It can be obtained at four levels of education (Figure 6.1):
1. Professional pre-higher education. This level leads to the qualification of “Professional Junior Bachelor”, equivalent to International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) Level 5. Graduates in primary education may work as primary school teachers. Graduates in secondary education at this level typically become teachers of the arts (e.g. fine arts, music). Training lasts four years for students entering after Grade 9, and two years for those entering after Grade 11.
2. Bachelor’s degree programmes in pedagogical fields last four years (240 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits) for students entering after Grade 11 (ISCED Level 3). This is reduced to three years (180 ECTS credits) for those who already hold a professional junior bachelor qualification. Both professional junior bachelors and bachelors may work as primary school teachers or teach art subjects in secondary school. To be employed as a subject teacher in other disciplines in Grades 5–11(12), it is necessary to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in the relevant field.
3. Master’s degrees in pedagogy typically last 1.5 years (90 ECTS credits), though some may run for two years (120 ECTS credits), with an emphasis on academic research. The importance of master’s degree for teachers is dictated by a stable tradition. Although it is not required for entry into the teaching profession, it holds significant weight later in a teacher’s career for obtaining a higher qualification category (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2022[16]). Master’s programmes in pedagogy are also open to career switchers who have completed their bachelor’s degree in a different field.
4. The training of “Doctors of Philosophy” in the field of education has become noticeably popular: between 5.8% and 7.9% of all applicants to postgraduate programmes in Ukraine from 2020 to 2024 were enrolled in relevant courses (EDEBO, n.d.[17])2. However, individuals holding a PhD in education typically pursue career paths other than teaching in secondary schools.
Source: Adapted from (Lantero et al., 2022[18]), Guidelines on Fast-Track Recognition of Ukrainian Academic Qualifications, https://education.ec.europa.eu/document/guidelines-on-fast-track-recognition-of-ukrainian-academic-qualifications (accessed on 25 October 2025) and (Eurydice, 2025[19]), Organisation of the education system and of its structure, https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/eurypedia/ukraine/organisation-education-system-and-its-structure (accessed on 25 October 2025)
Attracting candidates
The popularity of pursuing a pedagogical education in Ukraine presents an ambiguous picture. On the one hand, statistics indicate that approximately one in ten Ukrainian students obtaining a bachelor’s or a master’s degree chooses a pedagogical major. The proportion of such applicants in Ukraine is slightly above the European average. In particular, calculations based on available data suggest that in 2023, at the bachelor’s level, 9.8% of students in Ukraine were enrolled in pedagogical programmes, compared to the European average of 7.4%; at the master’s level, this figure was 10.6% in Ukraine, compared to the European average of 9% (Eurostat, 2023[20]; EDEBO, 2025[21]).
On the other hand, the teaching profession – and, by extension, pedagogical education – is widely perceived as lacking in prestige. As a result, pedagogical education programmes attract a relatively small number of highly motivated and well-prepared applicants. Most students apply to pedagogical programmes as a ‘last choice’, when their national entrance test results are too low to gain admission to more competitive programmes in other fields.
This is reflected in the financing model of bachelor programmes (see Box 6.2). Fields such as medicine, law, international relations, and public administration require a notably high score on national multi-subject entrance test if applicants are to compete for publicly-funded places. In education, the score is not as high. Specifically, according to our calculations based on requested data from the Unified State Electronic Database on Education (EDEBO), in 2024 the average competitive score to enter public-funded places was 147.1 for bachelor programmes in primary education, 153.1 secondary education, 176.9 for law, 165.8 for medicine, and 171.0 for public administration. The average entry score for fee-paying students was 135.7 (primary education programmes), 141.7 (secondary education), 161.8 (law), 158.1 (medicine), 160.1 (public administration) (Unified State Electronic Database on Education, 2024[22]).
Among applicants admitted to bachelor’s programmes in 2024 across all fields of study, 66.6% are paying for their education independently, while 33.4% are publicly funded. In this context, the low prestige of pedagogical training is reflected in the inverse ratio of tuition-paying to publicly-funded students in teaching-related disciplines: only 27% of future primary school teachers and 33% of students enrolled in the “Secondary Education” specialisation pay for their studies. The proportion of self-funded students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching specialisations is even lower – ranging between 16% and 26%.
A connected challenge here is also ensuring those studying on pedagogical degree programmes arrive in the actual classroom. According to a monitoring study conducted by the “‘Almenda’ Centre for Civic Education” NGO in 2024–2025, a significant proportion of students in the final years of pedagogical degree programmes do not intend to work in schools. Specifically, among bachelor’s degree students, only 32.7% plan to enter the teaching profession, 26% do not plan to do so, and 41.3% remain undecided. Among master’s degree students, 35.5% intend to work as teachers, 5.9% do not, and 58.6% are still uncertain (Almenda Center, 2025[23]). This is again a reflection of the challenges around how the teaching profession is perceived. It also suggests that efforts to raise the status of the teaching profession alongside initiatives to support initial teacher education are important; for instance, simply raising the minimum entrance requirements for pedagogical specialities – as has been done in Ukraine for legal and medical education – without efforts to also enhance the status of the profession may not be fully effective.
Admission to bachelor’s programmes at Ukrainian universities requires candidates to sit a national multi-subject entrance test, covering several school subjects. Each test result is converted into a score from 100 to 200 points, based on a standardised scale. For the 2025 entrance test, 100 points corresponds to correct answers on approximately 15% of the questions. An applicant’s competitive score is calculated as a weighted average of the test scores across several subjects.
A minimum competitive score of 100 points is required to take part in the admission competition for higher education institutions. Scores also have implications for how studies are funded. Professional pre-higher and higher education in Ukraine is financed in two ways. The first is public funding from the state or local budgets, under which students do not pay for their studies. These publicly-funded places are available to applicants with higher entrance exam scores, as well as to individuals from certain preferential categories, including orphans, persons with disabilities, and combatants. Approximately 40–45% of students studying at public expense receive a modest academic scholarship (equivalent of approximately 30–50EUR per month).
To compete for public-funded places, a score of at least 130 points is required. A score of at least 150 points is mandatory for applications in such fields as medicine, law, international relations, and public administration (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2025[24]).
The second financing model involves students or their parents paying tuition fees directly. This route is typically pursued by less academically competitive applicants.
Individuals who fail to pass the national entrance test (or do not sit it) are, with certain exceptions, not eligible to apply for bachelor’s programmes. However, they may apply for vocational or professional pre-higher education (ISCED Level 5) or choose to retake the test in the following year.
Source: (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2025[24]), On Approval of the Procedure for Admission to Higher Education in 2025, approved by Order No. 168 of 10 February 2025, https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0312-25#Text (accessed 24 July 2025)
A further challenge to consider here is the fragmentation of teacher training across numerous universities and professional colleges, many of which admit only small numbers of students to pedagogical programmes. For example, within the “secondary education” specialisation 35 out of 80 universities enrolled fewer than 50 applicants to their bachelor’s programmes; 26 out of 60 universities enrolled fewer than 50 master’s students; 23 out of 39 institutions enrolled fewer than 50 students at the professional junior bachelor’s level. In “primary education” 41 out of 58 universities admitted fewer than 50 applicants to their bachelor’s programmes; 34 out of 43 universities had fewer than 50 master’s entrants; 20 out of 47 institutions offering professional junior bachelor’s programmes also enrolled fewer than 50 applicants (EDEBO, n.d.[17]). An insufficient number of students in an educational programme renders its delivery financially unsustainable and poses challenges to maintaining educational quality. Besides, institutions running under-enrolled programmes are often unable to expel underperforming students. This situation frequently leads to lower academic standards and a decline in the enforcement of academic integrity.
A final challenge to note relates to the presence of teachers in the system without certain minimum qualifications. In general, there is not widespread practice in Ukraine of hiring teachers without a pedagogical background, but there are some instances. Based on analysis of available data from the Institute of Educational Analytics (Institute for Educational Analytics, 2025[25]), as of September 2024, out of 70 394 primary school teachers, only 270 (0.4%) did not have a pedagogical qualification. Among 39 544 teachers of music, fine arts, physical education, defence of Ukraine, and labour training, 2 192 (5.5%) lacked a pedagogical qualification. Of 161 953 subject teachers working in Grades 5–11, 3 213 (2.0%) had no prior pedagogical training. In particular, the presence of a small number of teachers with only secondary education points to the fact that there can be challenges in recruiting qualified personnel (Table 6.1). This practice runs contrary to Ukrainian legislation, which does not allow hiring people with secondary education for teaching positions. It is also worth noting that, in some cases, schools are compelled to hire students enrolled in pedagogical programmes on temporary contracts.
Note: Calculated based on available data from the Institute for Educational Analytics
Source: Based on (Institute for Educational Analytics, 2025[25]), On the number and composition of pedagogical staff, 2024-2025, https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/byuleten-83-rvk-2024_2025.xlsx (accessed 10 October 2025)
As mentioned, while these numbers of those in classrooms without appropriate qualifications are relatively low, further reducing this number to ensure that all students have teachers with the necessary pedagogical expertise could be an important area of future attention. This sets Ukraine apart from many European countries, where the teaching profession is regulated and access is not permitted without appropriate professional training. Given Ukraine’s chosen path of European integration, it is anticipated that, over time, the approach to teacher qualifications will be aligned with European standards. Consequently, individuals without formal pedagogical education will be required to obtain a recognised pedagogical qualification.
Additional routes to the classroom
The above discussion of pedagogical qualifications invites consideration of the additional routes that exist to the classroom. According to Ukrainian law3, individuals who do not possess a pedagogical degree or professional teaching qualification – but hold higher education in another field – may be employed as teachers for a period of one year (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2017[1]). Upon the completion of this year, they are required to undergo appraisal to continue working in the teaching profession.
This provision allows three types of institutions to assess competencies of teachers with at least one year of work experience and confer a pedagogical qualification: qualification centres, institutions of postgraduate education, and higher education institutions. However, in practice, there are challenges in each case to this implementation. Postgraduate education institutions do not actually award professional qualifications, as the procedure for doing so has not been clearly defined by law. Similarly, higher education institutions are not legally authorised to confer full professional qualifications to individuals who are not enrolled as their students. Nonetheless, Ukrainian higher education institutions do award professional qualifications – particularly pedagogical ones – to their bachelor’s and master’s students. They may also issue partial professional qualifications, which confirm that an individual possesses a portion of the competencies required by the professional standard. However, the content and recognition of such partial qualifications are unclear to labour market participants. As a result, the practice of awarding them to teachers remains uncommon.
With regard to qualification centres, individuals with any professional pre-university qualification (ISCED 5) or higher education who have worked as a teacher for at least one year may apply to qualification centres, which assess their competencies and award them a professional teaching qualification. At present, confirmation of qualifications in this manner is not a mandatory requirement for entering the teaching profession in Ukraine, as there is no such provision in existing legislation. Moreover, as of June 2025, no accredited qualification centres (National Qualifications Agency of Ukraine, n.d.[26]) exist in Ukraine that are authorised to award professional teaching qualifications or recognise teaching qualifications obtained abroad.
As such, the opportunity to obtain a professional teaching qualification through this route is expected to become available in the future, once the relevant institutions begin operating. These qualification centres may be independent bodies or established as structural units within higher or postgraduate education institutions. What matters most is not their organisational form, but the development – by the government and the educational community – of consistent, recommended approaches to the procedures and tools used for the proper assessment of applicants’ competencies for a professional teaching qualification.
Overall, this alternative route into the teaching profession has the potential to enable a broader pool of specialists from other sectors of the economy to be recruited into teaching – particularly useful given the current shortage of teachers in specific subjects. However, gaps in the regulatory framework governing this route allow individuals to teach without undergoing any psychological or pedagogical training or practical teaching experience.
Note: Orange highlights programmes with up to 500 applicants. Blue highlights programmes with between 501 and 800 applicants.
Source: Based on (EDEBO, 2025[21]), Number of applicants for higher education - Open Data - Register of Subjects of Educational Activity, https://registry.edbo.gov.ua/opendata/educators/ (accessed on 24 July 2025)
Considering the role of alternative routes to the classroom may be especially significant in light of shortages in certain subjects. The popularity of pedagogical programmes varies significantly across subject specialisations (see Table 6.2). While training programmes for primary school teachers, as well as those focussed on languages and the humanities, tend to attract a relatively higher number of applicants, the issue of low enrolment in programmes preparing future teachers of mathematics and other STEM subjects remains unresolved4.
One solution to the shortage of teachers in STEM disciplines could be allowing students in non-pedagogical bachelor’s programmes (e.g. in mathematics, physics, chemistry) to obtain an additional qualification in pedagogy, psychology and teaching methodology. Hence, Ukrainian higher education offers two pathways for training subject specialists for the secondary level. One, as mentioned earlier, involves the relevant specialisations within bachelor’s and master’s programmes in secondary education. The other is through “classical” academic programmes – in subjects such as mathematics, philology, history and archaeology, physics, chemistry, biology, and others. Unsurprisingly, the depth of subject training provided in secondary education programmes is generally inferior to that of “classical” degree programmes in philology or other subject areas. It could be that a block of pedagogical courses is made available to those in the “classical” route, after which universities could confer a formal teaching qualification.
There is not currently this type of infrastructure in place for this type of alternative route into the classroom. A review of educational programmes in “classical” disciplines at Ukraine’s largest higher education institutions shows that universities rarely offer such an additional pedagogical qualification to students of STEM programmes (Rii, Kryzhanovska and Nikolaiev, 2024[27]). Moreover, these “classical” programmes – as well as the equivalent specialisations within the “Secondary Education” field – attract a very limited number of applicants, particularly compared to certain other subjects (see Table 6.3). Consequently, the introduction of a pedagogical specialisation would be unlikely, on its own, to resolve the shortage of teachers in these subject areas, but it may be effective alongside other measures.
Note: *Data on the number of applicants to legal education programmes is underestimated, as information on a portion of students in this field is not recorded in the EDEBO system.
Source: Based on (EDEBO, 2025[21]), Number of applicants for higher education - Open Data - Register of Subjects of Educational Activity, https://registry.edbo.gov.ua/opendata/educators/ (accessed on 24 July 2025)
Points of reflection for the future on the process for selecting candidates to the profession
There may be value in broadening pathways for entry into the teaching profession to help ensure a larger and broader pool of quality candidates. Some potential avenues for the future could include:
Traditional universities offering students of classical disciplines (e.g. physics, mathematics) an elective pedagogical module of the educational programme to enable students to acquire an additional professional qualification of teachers. This may be especially significant where there is a shortfall of qualified subject teachers, such as that observed in “Secondary Education” in STEM specialisations.
Introducing one-year dual teacher preparation programmes at universities for candidates with non-pedagogical degrees. Unlike many other countries, Ukraine does not have ‘fast-track’ courses for individuals with higher education who wish to start a teaching career, and this could be worth exploring as a short-term solution to addressing shortages in specific areas. The programme would need to carefully combine psychological and pedagogical training with acquiring a formal teaching qualification. Attention to longer-term retention mechanisms, alongside such an initiative, may be important too.
In the pursuit of ensuring quality selection and preparation, there may be value in further exploring how teachers’ competencies are assessed before their full entry into the classroom. Current legislation permits individuals with any form of higher education – not necessarily pedagogical – to work as teachers. There is no system in place to ensure that such teachers receive appropriate psychological and pedagogical training. Some potential avenues for the future could include:
Ensuring the role and capacity of qualification centres in the current system. Although Ukrainian legislation allows individuals without a pedagogical education to demonstrate the required psychological and pedagogical competencies through an assessment for the award of a professional qualification, as of June 2025, there are no qualification centres in Ukraine authorised to carry out this function.
A regulated qualification assessment with uniform requirements before employment as a teacher. Such an assessment should aim to align with the national teacher professional standards and include activities that test the level of relevant professional competencies. As per international models, the exam could include both theoretical and practical components and include such forms of assessment as written test on the subject and pedagogy; a written case analysis; a review of portfolio materials according to predefined criteria; and a structured interview with evaluators. Different modalities could be envisioned, such as implementation by qualification centres, higher education institutions, by a single overseeing state body, or a mixture of these. Notably, this type of initiative would need to be carefully considered alongside the number of applicants to the profession due to its potential implications on teacher supply.
Indeed, efforts to improve the status of the profession – as exemplified by this report and the accompanying peer-learning event – have an important role to play. The limited prestige associated with the profession impacts interest in teacher training programmes at universities. In the longer term, if measures are successful in improving the status of the profession, some potential avenues could include:
Adjustments could be envisioned to the entrance score for the teaching profession so that applicants with a high level of academic performance may be enrolled in pedagogical programmes. In the current situation raising the threshold score could have negative effect, as it will further reduce the number of students enrolled in pedagogical majors.
If realisable, a future iteration of this may also include a test on the motivation for entering the teaching profession (e.g. certain psychological traits, desire to master the profession, etc.).
Lever 2. Nature of preparation for the classroom and profession
Defining the content and structure of initial teacher education
State requirements regarding the content and structure of initial teacher education programmes in Ukraine are defined in two types of documents:
educational standards (including standards for professional pre-higher education (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, n.d.[28]) and higher education (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, n.d.[29]),
and professional standards (National Qualifications Agency of Ukraine, n.d.[30]).
Educational standards outline the set of learning outcomes and competencies that students in initial teacher education programmes are expected to acquire. Institutions providing professional pre-higher and higher education are legally required to fully incorporate these standards into their educational programmes.
Professional standards, on the other hand, define the competencies required of individuals in a given profession, generally irrespective of the means or form of education through which those competencies were acquired (Box 6.3). When designing educational programmes, universities and professional colleges are expected to take professional standards into account, but these serve a secondary role in comparison to the legally binding requirements of educational standards. As such, professional standards do not carry the same authoritative weight as educational standards for universities.
Teacher professional standards specify that a qualified teacher must possess the following integral competencies:
Linguistic and communicative competence
Subject-specific and methodological competence
Information and digital competence
Psychological competence
Emotional and ethical competence
Competence in pedagogical partnership
Inclusive competence
Health-preserving competence
Prognostic competence
Organisational competence
Evaluative and analytical competence
Capacity for lifelong learning
Source: (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2024[31]), “Professional Standard ‘Teacher of a General Secondary Education Institution’”, approved by Order No. 1225 of 29 August 2024, https://register.nqa.gov.ua/uploads/0/646-ilovepdf_merged.pdf (accessed 24 July 2025)
The professional standards “takes into account the context of the Russian–Ukrainian war and changes in the educational environment… identifies the need for teachers to possess the competencies required to ensure student safety, maintain psychological stability, adapt educational content to new realities, and instil in students values related to civic responsibility, patriotism, and the protection of the democratic system.” It further “emphasises the ability of teachers to respond to the challenges faced by the general secondary education system during wartime, including forced displacement, loss of access to educational resources, and the necessity of working in blended or distance learning formats” (Potapova, Okhredko and Kuberska, 2025, p. 7[32]).
Educational standards for the “Primary Education” major, which prepares future primary school teachers, were approved at various educational levels at different timepoints5. Notably, none of the educational standards for the “Primary Education” major fully reflect the requirements of the professional standards, as all were adopted prior to the latter’s approval. Furthermore, these educational standards do not include competencies specifically aimed at addressing the challenges associated with wartime conditions (Potapova, Okhredko and Kuberska, 2025, p. 7[32]).
For the “Secondary Education” major, which prepares teachers for lower and specialised upper secondary schools, an educational standard has been approved only for the professional junior bachelor’s level (in September 2021). As of June 2025, there are no approved educational standards at the bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral levels for this major.
Alongside the professional and educational standards, additional guidance on the content and structure of initial teacher learning programmes is provided in the Concept for the Development of Pedagogical Education (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2018[33]), adopted in 2018. However, there are signs that this document has not been effectively implemented in practice. For example, the Concept stipulates that continuous pedagogical practice should be a mandatory component of teacher training. It recommends a total of 30 ECTS credits for in-school pedagogical practice at both the bachelor’s and master’s levels. However, this recommendation is largely not implemented in current teacher training programmes (see Table 6.4), where the volume and distribution of different blocks of educational components vary significantly, with in-school placements often falling below the 30 ECTS credits. Indeed, a review of bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes in the “Secondary Education” major published on the websites of various Ukrainian universities reveals a wide variation and a lack of unified approaches to determining the number of hours (credits) allocated to general education, subject-specific training, psychological and pedagogical training, methodological and research training, and pedagogical practice (see Table 6.4).
Source: Based on educational programmes descriptions on the respective universities’ websites: (Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, n.d.[34]), https://www.lnu.edu.ua/ (accessed 2 December 2024); (Volodymyr Hnatiuk Ternopil National Pedagogical University, n.d.[35]), https://tnpu.edu.ua/ (accessed 2 December 2024); (Uzhhorod National University, n.d.[36]), https://www.uzhnu.edu.ua/ (accessed 2 December 2024); (Mykhailo Drahomanov Ukrainian State University, n.d.[37]), https://udu.edu.ua/ (accessed 2 December 2024); (Hryhorii Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, n.d.[38]), http://www.hnpu.edu.ua/ (accessed 2 December 2024); (V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, n.d.[39]), https://karazin.ua/ (accessed 2 December 2024); (Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, n.d.[40]), https://www.chnu.edu.ua/ (accessed 2 December 2024)
Accordingly, one of the main challenges faced by universities is the lack of information from the state regarding expectations for such content. The novelty of the revised professional standard for teachers, combined with the fact that educational programme developers are not legally required to align with it, and the absence of approved bachelor’s and master’s level higher education standards in the “Secondary Education” major, has resulted in higher education institutions enjoying broad autonomy in determining the content of training for future teachers of lower and specialised upper secondary schools.
Moreover, descriptions of educational programmes in “Secondary Education” often do not place specific emphasis on the implementation of the New Ukrainian School reform or on addressing the challenges posed by the war. Although such topics are frequently included in the syllabi of individual academic disciplines (Potapova, Okhredko and Kuberska, 2025[32]), there is a lack of a cross-cutting approach that would ensure the overall relevance of these programmes to these modern contexts.
Micro-credentials
A relatively new concept in the Ukrainian educational landscape is that of micro-credentials, which the Council of the EU defines as “the record of the learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a small volume of learning” (Council of the European Union, 2022[41]). According to EU recommendations (Council of the European Union, 2022[41]), European countries should adopt policies on micro-credentials as a flexible instrument for addressing current labour market challenges and for promoting the principle of lifelong learning.
In 2024, the National Qualifications Agency issued “Recommendations on the Implementation of Micro-Credentials in Ukraine” (Semigina et al., 2024[42]), which outlined general principles and approaches for their introduction. This document served as one of the sources for a recent Order (No. 966) of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine6. Among other provisions, the Order recommends that when designing educational programmes, institutions should consider combining pedagogical subject specialisations with optional educational components, including the possibility of awarding a second full or partial professional qualification and/or micro-credentials.
However, Ukrainian educational legislation does not yet define or formally recognise the concept of micro-credentials. As a result, the practical implementation of this policy remains insufficiently regulated at the national level.
Points of reflection for the future on the nature of preparation for the classroom and profession
There could be value in fostering greater clarity around the requirements of initial teacher education, including the consistency between educational and professional standards for teachers and ensuring any gaps are addressed. One potential avenue here could be adopting bachelor’s and master’s level standards of higher education for “Secondary Education” and updating existing standards for “Primary Education’ to reflect the current teacher professional standards would both help to ensure greater clarity and consistency.
Connected to this is the challenge of ensuring that the contemporary realities of schools are reflected in the content of initial teacher education (ITE) programmes. This may include:
The implementation of the New Ukrainian School reform, in particular competency-based teaching practices and the development of social and emotional skills.
Modern information technology tools, in particular, providing high-quality remote and blended learning, modern digital resources, and the use of artificial intelligence to support personalised learning pathways.
How to respond to the context of the war including: the diagnosis and overcoming of educational losses, protection of human rights in war, approaches to trauma-informed learning, civic and cultural integration of participants in the educational process with different experiences of war, and the specificities of education in the liberated territories.
Similarly, a more balanced integration of theory with practice in ITE could be valuable, such as by expanding the grounded practice component. For instance, this could entail developing network of schools and practice bases at universities, inspired by the Finnish experience (see Chapter 2), with dedicated mentor teachers in such schools being supported to work with trainee teachers. More broadly, ways to support the participation of practicing teachers in the system of teacher education could be fruitful in terms of supporting a focus on practice as well as capturing contemporary realities in schools.
Increased clarity on content may also be coupled with mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of this content. For instance, this may occur through the form of assessment of student teachers, as outlined in Lever 1. Other forms that could be explored include evaluation processes of ITE courses, as set out in Chapter 2 and its examples from different systems.
Finally, it may be that there are also options to align initial teacher education with the wider career structure. Potential avenues here for exploration could be:
Career ambitions pathways may be integrated into ITE programme design, enabling students in the teaching profession to envision their career progression toward leadership or specialised roles in particular areas, similar to the experience in Singapore. For instance, this approach could include training of those with bachelor’s degrees in specialised master’s programmes which may include special modules on textbook authorship, mentoring, innovative pedagogy of other teachers and school leadership.
Micro-credentials based on EU Council recommendations for selected educational programme components may be introduced as a flexible tool to support competency development and to serve as a potential pathway to new professional roles. This will allow for their mutual recognition in the case of internal or external student mobility, as well as they recognition and offsetting of relevant micro-credentials obtained by students or trainees in informal education systems.
Lever 3. Attending to the transition into the classroom and school
As set out in Chapter 2, the professional adaptation of early-career teachers is a critically important stage in the development of a teaching career. In Ukraine, two key mechanisms for supporting novice teachers are legally established: pedagogical internship (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2022[43]) and supervision (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2025[44]), intended to provide systematic support and promote the professional growth of early-career teachers. These foundations have the potential to provide important support to new teachers, however the challenge ahead is to ensure it is consistently implemented effectively.
Pedagogical internships
A pedagogical internship is defined as “a system of measures aimed at supporting a newly-appointed pedagogical employee of an educational institution in the performance of their professional duties and the acquisition (or improvement) of their professional competencies” (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2021[45])7. The internship is mandatory for all newly-appointed teachers, regardless of their prior education or qualifications, and lasts for one year from the date of appointment.
The main purpose of the internship is to facilitate the professional and pedagogical adaptation of novice teachers to the realities of teaching practice. As outlined in the official Regulations on Pedagogical Internship, the key tasks of this mechanism include:
Establishing a system of support for professional adaptation to teaching conditions, fostering a positive microclimate and a sense of socio-psychological comfort, and developing friendly relationships with educational stakeholders.
Developing professional competencies, pedagogical skills, and readiness for independent teaching.
Instilling respect for the profession and a conscientious attitude towards professional responsibilities.
Supporting the formation of a mentoring institution within educational institutions and the development of professional communities among teaching staff.
At the heart of the internship is mentoring, in which an experienced teacher provides guidance and support to a novice colleague. The mentor assists the new teacher in navigating the professional environment, resolving early challenges, and developing an individual teaching style. While mentors may receive a salary supplement of up to 20%, this amount is not legally guaranteed. Schools often face challenges in appointing a suitable mentor, especially if there is no teacher available with at least five years of subject-specific teaching experience. The current teacher remuneration system does not support the recruitment of mentors from other institutions, nor does the law permit the contracting and payment of such services externally.
Supervision
Supervision is defined as a set of measures for providing voluntary professional assistance and support to teachers, aimed at improving their teaching performance and supporting continuous professional development (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2024[46])8. In contrast to the internship, supervision is a voluntary for teachers who wish to improve their professional skills.
The main tasks of supervision in Ukraine are as follows (New Ukrainian School, 2024[47]):
Supporting teachers in identifying their professional strengths, needs and challenges, as well as the resources available to motivate their professional development.
Analysing the professional activities of teaching staff.
Providing professional counselling and support based on the analysis of a teacher’s professional performance.
Offering assistance to prevent and overcome professional challenges.
Supporting compliance with established professional standards.
The supervision mechanism only became formally recognised within the legal framework in late August 2024, making it difficult at present to evaluate its implementation in schools comprehensively. However, like mentoring, the success of supervision will depend significantly on the individual carrying out the supervision. At present, any teacher or academic staff member may act as a supervisor. The funding mechanism for supervision services from the state budget remains unclear. Moreover, for teachers to be willing to pay privately for such services, supervision must first demonstrate its effectiveness.
Points of reflection for the future on attending to the transition into the classroom and school
There may be value in creating space in new teachers’ workload for their proactive engagement with pedagogical internships. Connected to this is the potential for greater attention on the implementation of the regulatory framework for pedagogical internships as outlined in Ukrainian legislation. The Law of Ukraine “On education” provides for a pedagogical internship as a formal induction period for beginning teachers (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2017[1]), but there remain some challenges on implementation as set out above. Some potential avenues forward could include:
Ensuring appropriate specialised training for teacher mentors.
Attending to the incentives for mentors, such as ensuring clarity around the role’s position in the horizontal career structure (as well as in relation to any micro-credentials or certification processes) and the nature of any additional payments for mentor teachers.
Establishing mechanisms for systematic monitoring and evaluation of pedagogical internship to complement this and help to drive high standards.
Exploring means of diagnosing new teachers’ professional competencies to facilitate more tailored professional support.
Similarly, attending to the systematic training of qualified supervisors, as well as the mechanisms for monitoring supervisions’ effectiveness, may be of value too in terms of supporting high standards of support to new teachers.
There may also be value in exploring the nature of collaboration between different stakeholders around induction. Some potential avenues could include:
Exploring the role of professional communities and peer-support networks for novice teachers.
Considering the development of feedback loops between schools and universities to allow insights from induction to be shared and fed into teacher education programmes to support alignment with the realities of current school practice.
Exploring how to foster active involvement of Teacher Professional Development Centres alongside schools in supporting internships and supervision processes.
Lever 4. A clear and attractive vertical career structure
Ukraine’s vertical career structure is shaped by qualification categories and pedagogical ranks. These are particularly important for renumeration, but also can entail different roles too.
Qualification categories
Ukrainian law stipulates that the system of qualification categories for teachers includes four main levels: Specialist, 2nd Category Specialist, 1st Category Specialist, and Highest Category Specialist (Figure 6.2) (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2022[16]).
The “Specialist” category is the entry-level classification, automatically assigned to pedagogical staff upon employment, without any assessment of their professional performance. This approach contradicts the essence of appraisal as an evaluation tool and raises questions about the very relevance of this category within the career structure. To be eligible for the specialist, second, and first categories, a teacher must hold a pedagogical qualification, while the highest category additionally requires a master’s degree. The categories differ primarily in terms of required teaching experience, with minimum three years of teaching experience for the 2nd category, and minimum seven years for the highest category.
Source: Based on (Cabinet of Ministers, Ukraine, 2022[48]), On approval of the Regulations on the certification of teaching staff, https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z1649-22#Text (accessed on 7 October 2025)
Notably, regulations specify alternative pathways for individuals without a pedagogical qualification, but who have industry experience in another sector of the economy. Such individuals may be appraised without following the standard sequence of category assignment, provided they have at least two years of industry experience for the second category, five years for the first category, and seven years for the highest category. Pedagogical staff holding an educational and scientific degree, an academic degree, or an academic rank may be granted the highest qualification category directly, bypassing the sequential progression.
Qualification categories do not entail significant differences in the core professional duties of a teacher; teachers at all levels generally perform the same essential functions. The main distinction lies in the level of remuneration; teachers with higher categories receive higher salaries. However, teachers with the highest qualification category may also undertake additional roles, such as providing consultations to colleagues; supporting early-career teachers in their professional development; participating in scientific and methodological activities; developing and piloting their own instructional and methodological materials (CPDINSETT, n.d.[49]).
Pedagogical ranks
According to the “List of Qualification Categories and Pedagogical Ranks of Teaching Staff” (Cabinet of Ministries of Ukraine, 2015[50])9, there are also pedagogical ranks available to teachers: Senior Teacher and Teacher-Methodologist.
A pedagogical rank can be awarded to teachers who:
Introduce and disseminate competency-based teaching methods and new educational technologies.
Provide professional support and assistance (e.g. mentoring, supervision) to other teachers.
Engage in processes aimed at ensuring educational quality and introducing pedagogical innovations and technologies.
Are laureates of regional, national, or international professional competitions or contests.
Have prepared students who are winners of academic competitions or contests.
The pedagogical rank “Senior Teacher” is awarded to educators who, following the results of a previous appraisal, have been assigned a qualification category not lower than “2nd Category Specialist” and have more than three years of teaching experience.
The rank “Teacher-Methodologist” is granted to those with a qualification category not lower than “Highest Category Specialist,” a higher education qualification, and more than five years of work experience.
Pedagogical ranks play a practical role in career advancement: the “Senior Teacher” rank brings a 10% salary increase; the “Teacher-Methodologist” rank results in a 15% salary increase. These ranks also serve as a form of moral encouragement for experienced educators. They provide the foundation for horizontal career growth – becoming recognised experts in their subject area – and may open pathways to vertical advancement, such as movement into administrative roles, participation in educational initiatives, and greater competitiveness in the educational labour market.
One such vertical career pathway is progression to the role of Head Teacher (School Principal) in a general secondary education institution. To be eligible for this position, a candidate must be a citizen of Ukraine; possess higher education, at a minimum level of a master’s degree; have at least three years of teaching experience; be fluent in the state language; and demonstrate organisational competence (Unesco, 2024[51]). Appointments to school principal positions are made via a competitive selection process, and the role is formalised through a six-year employment contract. While this process theoretically provides opportunities for career advancement, it represents only one part of a broader set of challenges affecting teacher career development in Ukraine.
According to research by the civic association “Osvitoria” (Yurchenko, 2023[52]), key challenges facing teacher career paths include:
Overload and excessive bureaucracy: Teachers experience a considerable burden due to numerous administrative tasks, mandatory involvement in events, competitions, and academic Olympiads. These responsibilities often divert attention from their core teaching duties.
Low salaries and limited financial incentives: Even with additional allowances and bonuses, teacher salaries remain low, which diminishes the prestige of the profession and weakens motivation to remain in the school system.
Insufficient support for professional development: There is a lack of access to high-quality training, mentoring, and supervision, especially for early-career teachers and in rural or under-resourced regions. Continuing professional development programmes are often delivered formally, without leading to meaningful results.
Psychological stress and burnout: High levels of emotional and professional strain, exacerbated by the absence of consistent psychological support.
Unclear and limited career progression pathways: Lack of transparent and structured career trajectories, with few opportunities for either horizontal development or vertical advancement. Career paths do not stimulate professional development and self-development.
Motivation and incentives
An important question surrounds the limited motivational impact of the vertical career progression system, as such systems tend to lose their incentive effect once teachers reach the “ceiling” of development. Over 57% of Ukrainian teachers, both in urban and rural areas, hold the highest qualification category (Figure 6.3). This indicates that the system is saturated with teachers who are formally classified as highly qualified. This phenomenon can be explained by a form of “compensatory mechanism”: the assignment of the highest qualification category serves as a means to increase wages within the rigidly fixed salary scale, which is legally tied to qualification categories.
Source: Based on (Institute of Educational Analytics, n.d.[53]), https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/byuleten-83-rvk-2024_2025.xlsx (accessed 10 October 2025); (Institute of Educational Analytics, n.d.[54]), https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/byuleten-83-rvk-2023_2024.xlsx (accessed on 10 October 2025); (Institute of Educational Analytics, n.d.[55]), https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/byuleten-83-rvk-2022_2023.xlsx (accessed on 10 October 2025); (Institute of Educational Analytics, n.d.[56]), https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/byuleten-83-rvk-2021_2022.xlsx (accessed on 10 October 2025); (Institute of Educational Analytics, n.d.[57]), https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Inform.byuleten-pedagogichni-kadri-1.pdf (accessed on 10 October 2025); (Institute of Educational Analytics, n.d.[58]), https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Pro-chiselnist-i-sklad-pedagogichnih-pratsivnikiv-ZZSO-MON-Ukrayini-inshih-ministerstv-i-vidomstv-ta-privatnih-zakladiv_2018-2019_2019-2020-n.r.pdf (accessed on 10 October 2025); (Institute of Educational Analytics, n.d.[59]), https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Pro-chiselnist-i-sklad-ped.-pratsivnikiv-ZZSO-MON-inshih-ministrestv-i-vidomstv-ta-privatnih-zakladiv_2017-2018-ta-2018-2019.pdf (accessed on 10 October 2025); (Institute of Educational Analytics, n.d.[60]), https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Pro-chiselnist-i-sklad-ped.-pratsivnikiv-dennih-ZNZ-MON-inshih-ministrestv-i-vidomstv-ta-privatnih-zakladiv_2016-2017_2017-2018.pdf (accessed on 10 October 2025); (Institute of Educational Analytics, n.d.[61]), https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Pro-chiselnist-i-sklad-ped.-pratsivnikiv-dennih-ZNZ-MON-inshih-ministrestv-i-vidomstv-ta-privatnih-zakladiv-2015-2016-ta-2016-2017-n.-r..pdf (accessed on 10 October 2025); (Institute of Educational Analytics, n.d.[62]), https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/byuleten-83-rvk-2015_2016.xlsx (accessed on 10 October 2025); (Institute of Educational Analytics, n.d.[63]), https://iea.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/byuleten-83-rvk-2014_2015.xlsx (accessed on 10 October 2025)
At the same time, the base salary for a specialist remains below the minimum wage in Ukraine, and it is only through a complex system of promotions and bonuses that teacher remuneration exceeds the minimum wage. This points to the wider challenges in the model of financial incentives in the career structure. In 2024, the average salary in the education sector was UAH 14 593 (approximately EUR 336), compared to the national average salary of UAH 21 473 (around EUR 495)10. Research by the civic association “Osvitoria” (Yurchenko, 2023[52]) has suggested that even with additional allowances and bonuses, teacher salaries remain low, which diminishes the prestige of the profession and weakens motivation to remain in the school system (see Box 6.4). As outlined in Chapter 3, financial incentives can be an important factor in shaping a career structure and the attractiveness of the teaching profession, alongside factors such as the ways teachers work and the opportunities that the profession provides for development.
Points of reflection for the future on clear and attractive vertical career structures
There could be value in sustaining and further coordinating any efforts to raise the social status of the teaching profession and ensure its importance is championed and promoted.
The current system of qualification categories seems to have a limited motivational potential, while the financial incentives of the system are complex and limited. As well as attending to ensuring the profession is intellectually attractive, some potential avenues going forward may include:
A re-examination of the vertical career structure of teachers, with this linked to financial incentives. At the same time, it would be important in such a system to ensure that the transition to the next career step is based on an impartial performance evaluation of a teacher’s work (see below, Lever 6), such as the certification that is currently being piloted. Such a basic certification could be mandatory for the transition from novice to certified teacher, or voluntary for advanced certification for the highest career level, which requires expertise in pedagogical skills.
A re-examination of the system of renumeration may be one element to help shape the attractiveness of the profession. Article 61 of the Law “On Education” stipulates a base salary equivalent to three minimum wages for a teacher of a lowest qualification category (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2017[1]). According to the law, salary increases may be implemented gradually to avoid a sharp jump and, consequently, a burden on the state and local budgets. Based on the law, it is necessary to set the wage starting with four subsistence minimums during the transition period and then increase it to the level of three minimum wages. It may also be necessary to revise the salary calculation system to account for diverse teacher responsibilities.
There could also be value in enlarging the provision of professional support for those progressing to more managerial or administrative roles in the career structure.
Lever 5. Opportunities to specialise through horizontal diversification
Ukrainian secondary school teachers do not officially hold ‘parallel’ positions with a different (diversified) set of job functions that would formally enable horizontal career progression through a change in professional specialisation. Instead, teachers often assume additional roles both within and outside their secondary education institutions, either paid or unpaid, and either voluntarily or due to ‘operational necessity’. Let us consider some of these roles.
Mentors
Experienced teachers may serve as mentors within their schools, supporting newly-appointed teachers undergoing pedagogical internships. They may also provide supervisory support to colleagues from other educational institutions. These roles are typically remunerated. A key challenge in the implementation of these roles is the lack of systematic training to prepare teachers for such responsibilities.
Olympiads and tournaments
Ukrainian students in Grades 5 to 11 participate in Olympiads and tournaments – annual academic competitions across all major school subjects. These events are held in several stages: at the school, local, regional, and national levels (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2024[64]). Additionally, students aged 14 to 18 may compete in the All-Ukrainian Contest for the Defence of Scientific and Research Projects, organised by the Small Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2021[65]). This competition also takes place in three stages: local, regional, and a final national round. According to the Ministry of Education, up to three million students (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, n.d.[66]) participate in these competitions each year, with several thousand reaching the final stage. Winners of these events often go on to represent Ukraine at international academic Olympiads and competitions.
Teachers play a vital role as mentors, coaches and academic supervisors to students participating in these intellectual contests:
This role involves individual work with students to nurture them, the application of multiple professional competencies and participation in events for sharing experiences among teacher-mentors.
Beyond student mentorship, teachers are also involved in organising and conducting the preliminary stages of competitions, preparing Olympiad materials and serving on judging panels.
Overall, this role represents both an opportunity and a challenge for students and teachers. These competitions aim to include all schools across Ukraine and are considered part of schools’ annual reporting requirements to their governing bodies. Therefore, the state supports the organisation of these competitions, and teachers involved in their delivery gain access to specific professional development opportunities. However, some school administrations reportedly compel participation not out of motivation, but to meet reporting obligations (Matsala, 2024[67]).
Educational experts
Successful teachers with five or more years of experience can become educational experts with the State Service for Education Quality of Ukraine:
Upon completion of specialised training, they may participate in conducting institutional audits of secondary education institutions. An institutional audit is a procedure for external quality assurance in secondary education.
Institutional audits are conducted regularly in each general secondary education institution, typically once every ten years. However, during martial law, regular audits are suspended; only unscheduled audits are carried out, either at the request of the educational institution or in response to complaints from participants in the educational process.
During an audit, experts examine, evaluate, and provide recommendations for improving the educational environment, the system of assessing learners, pedagogical practices, and management processes within the institution (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2021[68]).
Taking on the role of an expert within the institutional audit framework enables teachers to observe practices in schools from other regions of Ukraine and adopt useful approaches in their own work.
Resource developers
Teachers who create various pedagogical classroom materials, such as lesson plans, slide presentations, test assignments and classroom activities, can upload them to major specialist online platforms for educators. This allows their materials to be distributed and sold to anyone interested in accessing them.
The business model of these private educational platforms (the most well-known being ‘Vseosvita’ and ‘NaUrok’) is profit-orientated. Therefore, the platforms actively seek out new authors and a wide variety of content, creating a low barrier to entry for contributors. This peer-to-peer model gives educators access to a vast range of teaching resources across all school subjects and topics. At the same time, the quality of such materials can vary significantly, and there are risks of plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct.
Safety in a time of war
Following the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation, many Ukrainian schools have equipped shelters on their premises to protect students, teachers, and other staff during air raids. In addition, Russian missile attacks have led to the destruction of energy infrastructure, resulting in widespread power outages across the country. During the winter months, this caused significant difficulties with heating and centralised water supply. As a response, the so-called “Points of Invincibility” have been established within the premises of individual schools (as well as other public buildings). These places are equipped with drinking water, heating, and electricity supplied by generators, providing a safe space for local residents during emergencies.
Teachers are often assigned the role of being on duty in these shelters and Points of Invincibility (Lykhovyd, 2022[69]), including maintaining order and performing basic cleaning tasks. This work is generally unpaid and may extend beyond the teacher’s official working hours.
Private tutoring
A significant segment of the Ukrainian educational services market comprises private tutoring – supplementary individual lessons in school subjects. This is particularly prevalent among upper‑secondary students preparing for the national university entrance examinations, which in 2025 included assessments in Ukrainian language, history of Ukraine, mathematics and one elective subject of the candidate’s choice (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2023[70]). Tutoring for primary school students is less widespread, typically aimed at re-mediating learning gaps.
For many teachers, offering private lessons in their subjects has become a customary way to earn additional income. Sessions are usually arranged on a one‑to‑one basis or in small groups of students. Foreign‑language teachers, in addition to working with schoolchildren, often extend their clientèle to older learners. Payments for these services are predominantly off the record, though some educators register as individual entrepreneurs. In such cases, fees are paid into an official account and subject to a modest tax (6% of income as of 2025). Private tutoring has effectively become a forced stopgap for addressing students’ learning deficits, driven both by teachers’ low salaries and their need for additional income, and the absence of a formal tutoring role within state secondary schools that would integrate individual support to students with educational losses into the guaranteed educational provision.
Points of reflection for the future on opportunities for horizontal diversification
There are already some horizontal career pathways for Ukrainian teachers, with such horizontal diversification typically consisting of teachers assuming additional roles – both within and beyond their educational institutions – both for a fee and free of charge, and with varying degrees of voluntariness. Some potential avenues to further build on this going forward include:
The range of horizontal career roles could be broadened by clearly listing the necessary additional roles that involve additional payment or a reduction of the lesson loads, such as a mentor teacher in an internship, a tutor or a head of a targeted training for other teachers, as well as those that do not involve additional payment (e.g. a head of a methodological teacher association, a supervisor).
Introducing training programmes for additional roles of teachers may help to increase their effectiveness. This could also include the option for awarding relevant micro-credentials that recognise the additional role more formally.
Lever 6. Trusted evaluation mechanisms
The assessment of professional activity is a key component in ensuring the quality of education and professional development of teachers. In Ukraine, two primary forms of assessment are in operation: mandatory appraisal (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2024[71]) and voluntary certification. These mechanisms are designed to stimulate teachers’ professional growth, enhance their skills, and, ultimately, improve the quality of the educational process. However, each form of assessment has its own characteristics, strengths, and limitations, which must be examined carefully within the context of contemporary educational challenges.
Mandatory appraisal
The purpose of appraisal is to promote continuous professional learning, enhance teachers’ professional competence and skills, foster creative initiative, raise the status and prestige of the teaching profession, and ensure the overall effectiveness of the educational process. The key principles of appraisal include transparency and collegiality, a humane and respectful approach to teaching staff, and the thorough, objective and systematic evaluation of teaching performance.
Teacher performance in Ukraine is evaluated according to the professional teaching standard, which sets out the requirements for general and professional competencies of a teacher. The appraisal process is governed by the Regulations on the Appraisal of Teaching Staff, approved by Order No. 805 (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2022[16]) of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, dated 9 September 2022. These Regulations establish the procedure for appraisal as a structured system of measures aimed at conducting a comprehensive and objective assessment of teaching performance.
Appraisal is a mandatory procedure that teachers must undergo at least once every five years, although it may be conducted more frequently at the teacher’s request or at the initiative of the school principal – particularly in cases where a decline in the quality of teaching is observed. Appraisal involves the awarding or confirmation of an existing qualification category or pedagogical rank. This is based on a thorough review of the teacher’s performance, professional competencies, educational qualifications, and work experience. Awarding/confirmation of these categories and ranks directly influence the teacher’s salary and represent the primary means of increasing it. Appraisal commissions are established at the school level for the appraisal of teachers, and at the level of the school’s founding body for the appraisal of school principals.
Appraisal commissions evaluate the professional competencies of teaching staff taking into account their job responsibilities and the professional standard requirements. Teachers may voluntarily submit documents that demonstrate their pedagogical skills. If necessary, the commission appoints experts to conduct a detailed study of the teacher’s practical activity, including observation of classroom activities as well as evaluation of documentation and methodological materials. The commission also assesses professional achievements, such as: implementation of competency-based teaching methods, mentorship and supervision of colleagues, participation in innovative quality assurance projects, success in professional competitions at regional, national, and international levels, preparation of winners of various student Olympiads and contests.
Voluntary certification
Certification is a voluntary procedure that enables teachers to demonstrate their professional excellence and receive corresponding benefits (State Service for Education Quality of Ukraine, 2024[72]; Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, 2025[73])11. The purpose of certification is to identify and support educators with a high level of pedagogical expertise who apply competency-based learning approaches and innovative educational technologies, and promote the dissemination of these practices. It is an external assessment of the professional competencies of a pedagogical worker, carried out through independent testing, self-assessment and study of practical work experience (Osvita.UA, 2024[74]).
The certification process consists of three consecutive stages (Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment, n.d.[75]):
1. The first stage is independent testing conducted by the Ukrainian Centre for Educational Quality Assessment (UCEQA) and its regional branches, this stage requires participants to achieve at least 60% of the maximum possible score in order to proceed.
2. The second stage is self-assessment, when participants reflect on and evaluate their own pedagogical skills. The process is coordinated by the State Service for Education Quality of Ukraine (SSEQ) and its regional offices.
3. The third stage is review of practical teaching experience of certification participants, also conducted by the SSEQ. This stage involves an expert review of the teacher’s real-life classroom practice. Typically, this includes peer evaluation (i.e. ‘teachers assessing teachers’).
Certification offers several benefits compared to traditional appraisal (Makarova, 2021[76]).
One is the impartiality of the assessment, because certification involves independent testing and evaluation by experts, which ensures a higher degree of objectivity compared to appraisal.
A further benefit is its comprehensive approach – unlike traditional appraisal with its focus on documentation, this certification process places a greater emphasis on the practical review of a teacher’s performance in the classroom.
There are also attached financial incentives – teachers who successfully complete the certification are entitled to a 20% salary bonus.
Besides, certification serves as formal recognition of a teacher’s professional excellence. It is considered equivalent to passing the traditional appraisal and may be used as a basis for assigning or confirming qualification categories or pedagogical ranks.
Recent survey results from 2023–2024 show a generally positive perception of voluntary certification among both participants and expert assessors (New Ukranian School, 2025[77]):
90% of surveyed teachers believe that their level of professional skill was assessed objectively by experts.
79% of surveyed teachers would recommend the certification process to their colleagues.
63% of surveyed teachers expressed a desire to undergo certification again.
92% of expert assessors reported a positive experience in taking part in the process.
94% of expert assessors stated they would like to continue serving in this role in the future.
Implementation of certification and appraisal
Despite the recognised advantages of voluntary certification, appraisal remains the primary mechanism for assessing pedagogical performance in Ukraine. However, critics argue that the appraisal process is often overly formal and does not always reflect a teacher’s actual level of professional competence. This leads to a decline in trust in this evaluation mechanism (FACT News, 2024[78]).
One drawback of certification is the limited number of participants, owing to the high cost of the procedure and the shortage of trained expert assessors. In 2025, only 5 000 out of 13 000 Ukrainian teachers will be able to take part in certification: 1 500 primary school teachers; 1 000 mathematics teachers; 1 000 Ukrainian language and literature teachers; 1 000 history and civics teachers; 500 English teachers. Participation quotas have been set for each region of Ukraine. For instance, the total quota for the Rivne region is 224 teachers, including: 63 primary school teachers; 45 mathematics teachers; 47 Ukrainian language and literature teachers; 45 history and civics teachers; 24 English teachers (Rivne Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education, 2024[79]).
The presence of quotas points to capacity challenges for large-scale implementation. The structure of the current certification stages may be revised to help resolve this situation. For example, the self-assessment stage, where teachers evaluate their own pedagogical skills, could be optimised through the introduction of digital tools such as the Information and Analytical System “EvaluEd” (New Ukrainian School, 2024[80]). This would necessitate an expansion of the system’s capabilities.
Meanwhile, it is also necessary to address the shortage of expert teachers. This may intersect with the career structure, outlined above, as well as ensuring sufficient financial support for their activities (e.g. remuneration, travel expenses school staff replacements during their absence). The presence of expert teachers is particularly important for effectively implementing a peer-to-peer approach at the stage of evaluating a teacher’s practical experience.
Points of reflection for the future on trusted evaluation mechanisms
The current attestation process is hindered by several shortcomings, including a lack of clear criteria and requirements, a lack of depth and a reliance on potentially subjective measures, and a bureaucratic burden on teachers in collecting and processing documentation. Since 2018, a pilot independent evaluation of teachers through certification has been introduced, incorporating external independent testing, self-assessment of the certification participant's own pedagogical skills, and review of their practical teaching experience. Despite its promise, certification remains costly and complex for organising institutions and, accordingly, is available for a limited number of possible participants.
In light of this, there may be value in exploring alternative approaches to how attestation and certification are undertaking, which would also encompass the transitions in the vertical career structure. One option to consider may be a two-stage approach:
First could be improving the certification mechanism. In the present-day situation of teacher professional development in Ukraine, improving the current certification system and expanding opportunities for teachers of different subjects are needed to support voluntary independent certification.
A second stage could be certification replacing attestation. In a context of increased prestige of the profession, two types of certifications could be considered: basic certification, which would be mandatory for the transition from novice to certified teacher and for periodic confirmation of this career status; and advanced certification, which would be voluntary and would provide for the transition to a higher career level. Here, we see certification as a non-mandatory growth opportunity allowing a person to make a voluntary choice about his or her future career.
This type of certification could be orientated around the NUS and its demands. It could endeavour to cover the teacher's impact and involvement at the national level contributions, as reflected in the portfolio (e.g. the introduction of evidence-informed practices, work on the development of a regulatory framework, or creation and field testing of textbooks) to gradually replace certification with voluntary certification, as well as to expand the list of categories of teachers who are certified.
It may be possible to explore a more comprehensive system of evaluation criteria of teacher’s practice. For instance, covering teaching quality and other professional activities. It may take the form of:
Diversifying the tools for evaluating the quality of teaching.
Introducing reflective practices (similar to the experience of Singapore), including ongoing and end-of-year interviews with school leadership.
Promoting self-reflection and self-assessment based on the national teacher professional standards to support teacher’s own individual professional development planning.
At the same time, it is worth noting the importance of considering administrative burden throughout an evaluation process, with this being one of the challenges in the current appraisal system.
Lever 7. Provision of relevant learning opportunities
A network of dedicated institutes is the primary institutional arm responsible for ongoing professional learning for in-service teachers in Ukraine. Institutes of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education (IPPEs) operate in every regional centre of Ukraine and serve their respective regions. This stable network also functions as a tool for implementing educational policy, as it can reach a wide educational audience. As part of the implementation of the New Ukrainian School reform, mass professional learning for primary schools was carried out using this network, with specially trained staff prepared for the purpose.
Until 2017, the Ukrainian system operated according to principles common in post-Soviet countries: centralised planning, limited choice of service providers – since the IPPEs held a monopoly in this field – and episodic training. Licensing conditions served as artificial barriers that prevented private providers from entering the education services market. This contradicted global trends towards diversification and competition in teacher professional development.
Following an update to education legislation in 2017, the market for professional development was de-monopolised – teachers were granted the right to choose their providers, and the range of organisations eligible to offer training was expanded. Since then, training may be offered not only by licensed IPPEs, but also by unlicensed “other providers of educational activity, including individual entrepreneurs and legal entities” (Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, 2019[81]). As a result, the professional development market has expanded significantly. Current providers include public organisations, private companies, and individuals – often teachers themselves – who design and deliver training based on their own methodological approaches. Today, Ukrainian teachers may enhance their qualifications either through the IPPE network or other providers. In the case of the latter, due to the absence of a licence, training outcomes must be validated by a separate decision of the school’s pedagogical council.
Alongside this de-monopolisation, an annual obligation for professional development was introduced and its required volume increased. According to the Law “On Education,” the amount of training guaranteed and funded by the state has doubled and now amounts to a minimum of 150 hours over five years.
The opening of the professional development market has broadened both the content and the formats of training programmes. The public sector has introduced international programmes and practices to support Ukrainian teachers, including in the area of social and emotional learning (EdCamp DoSEN, n.d.[82]). Online formats, developed by both the state and public sector, have expanded, playing a crucial role in supporting the education system during the COVID-19 pandemic and the full-scale war. Moreover, professional development platforms now exist in Ukraine to centralise access to professional learning opportunities (Box 6.5).
The financing system for professional development has also been updated and diversified. Funding sources now include state and local budgets, contributions from educational institutions, teachers’ personal funds, and support from individuals and legal entities. As for state funding, a targeted subvention for teacher professional development was introduced as part of the implementation of the New Ukrainian School reform. The law also established the principle of ‘the money follows the teacher’ (New Ukrainian School, 2025[83]), meaning that budget funds should be allocated directly to teachers, who then decide how to spend them on professional development.
However, this principle has not yet been implemented in practice. At present, an annual subvention from the state budget is allocated for professional development, but it is not fully utilised. In practice, funds allocated for advanced training within the framework of the targeted subvention for the New Ukrainian School are distributed exclusively among regional IPPEs, in proportion to the number of teachers responsible for the completion of Grades 5–11(12) of general secondary education (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2025[84]). The institutes lack sufficient capacity to fully utilise these funds. For example, in 2024, UAH 100 million was allocated for the professional development of teachers under the subvention, but only 52% of the amount was actually used (Ukrinform, 2025[85]). At the same time, public funds are not allocated to private providers of professional development services for teachers, which may have the potential to help provide more up-to-date professional learning content for more participants or support alignment between teachers’ needs and content.
One effort to centralise access to training opportunities is the National Platform for Professional Development Opportunities for Teaching Staff, known as EdWay, developed by the public organisation EdCamp Ukraine. Since 2021, the free-to-use platform has brought together over 67 000 users and 315 training providers, offering 1 286 professional development opportunities. Platform users can filter options by specific competencies in the teacher professional standard, as well as select preferred formats and training volumes.
To expand access, the EdWay platform is in the process of being transferred to state ownership and integrated into the digital ecosystem “Mriia” (EdCamp Ukraine, n.d.[86]), a unified platform and database of opportunities for all education system participants being developed by the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
The EdWay platform has established terms of use for all users (EdWay, 2021[87]), including providers submitting advanced training programmes. When submitting a programme, an individual or organisation must complete a form aligned with the requirements of Resolution No. 800 (Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, 2019[3]). Platform moderators then review the submission and either approve or reject it based on compliance with these standards. Additionally, the terms of use stipulate that programme content must be accurate, reliable, non-discriminatory, non-deceptive, ethical and must not infringe upon intellectual property rights. Nevertheless, the platform disclaims responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information provided by training providers.
Points of reflection for the future on provision relevant professional learning opportunities
The Law of Ukraine “On Education” has laid the groundwork for broadening opportunities for professional development of teachers (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2017[1]). Since 2017, a targeted subvention for in-service professional development has been introduced, and teachers have more choice in choosing providers and determining their learning pathways. There are also digital platforms now in place to help structure professional development offerings. Going forward, further consideration may be given to:
The type of structures that allocation the educational subvention for teacher professional development. At present, the current IPPE network, which is the sole recipient of this targeted subvention, lacks the capacity to deliver the full volume of required in-service training opportunities, and alternative structures may support greater reach and flexibility.
One option for distributing the subvention for professional leaning could be to split it into two parts. One of them could be allocated to the network of IPPE to support targeted courses related to the implementation of current national educational policy. The second part, which is implemented on the principle of ‘funding follows the teacher’, is for teachers to take courses with other providers. Prior to the doubling of the minimum number of hours to 150 over five years, in-service training was provided only by IPPEs, with a minimum of 75 hours per five years for one teacher. Thus, the distribution of the education subvention in the ratio of 50%, in particular, for mandatory targeted courses, usually in the IPPE, and 50% for teacher's choice is logically justified.
An alternative option would be to allocate a portion of the education subvention through a tender-based process among providers, which is in line with the approach in England (United Kingdom). In this case, it is important to open access to these tenders to all providers who are able to prove the quality of their offering.
A third option is that the entire education subvention is distributed on a ‘funding follows the teacher’ model. This mechanism can be ensured through the use of a unified digital platform of quality professional learning offerings, if, within the platform's functionality, teachers have the opportunity to receive funds for professional learning in their personal accounts and use them for the quality offerings they need. The same approach is used for the first option, when part of the educational subvention is distributed on the principle of ‘funding follows the teacher’.
Underlying approaches to the models of the educational subvention above is the question of balancing alignment between individual needs, school needs, and system needs. It means that monitoring of alignment across these may be important, as set out in Chapter 4. Similarly, the question of the quality of delivery is ever-present, and is discussed more below.
An upgrade of the technological infrastructure, in particular in rural areas, and enhancement of teachers' digital competencies may be significant for enabling access to professional development opportunities in remote and blended learning during wartime.
Lever 8. Delivery of quality learning opportunities
In Ukraine, the requirements of advanced training programmes for teachers have been clearly stated in ‘Resolution No. 800’ (Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, 2019[3])12. Key areas of professional development, including the enhancement of professional competencies, the development of students’ cross-curricular skills, the creation of inclusive environments, the improvement of digital and informational literacy, and the advancement of managerial competencies for educational leaders and administrators. With regard to the content of these programmes, governmental requirements are largely technical, focussing on elements such as volume, format, types of activities, and duration. Resolution No. 800 also stipulates that programmes must specify the competencies teachers will acquire, as well as the “academic and professional opportunities resulting from completion of the programme”. However, the resolution does not define any criteria for assessing the quality of programme content.
According to Resolution No. 800, the only procedure for assessing the quality of advanced training programmes of non-licensed providers is through recognition of their results by the school’s teachers’ council. However, such recognition is often granted formally, without rigorous analysis of programme effectiveness. Moreover, programmes offered by licensed institutions, such as IPPEs, do not require this recognition. In practice, the responsibility for quality assurance rests with the providers of advanced training, or with individual organisations that independently establish certain norms and standards (see Box 6.5).
The de-monopolisation of the advanced training market in Ukraine has partially contributed to improving the quality of training programmes. A significant reform was the transformation of district methodological centres into centres for the professional development of pedagogical staff (CPDPSs), which now operate alongside private entities, fostering competition. However, this reform does not eliminate the need to build the professional reputation of service providers, introduce micro-credentials as a credible quality assurance tool, and establish a unified system of quality criteria applicable to all training providers. In sum, in the context of deregulation, the removal of licensing barriers, combined with the annual requirement for teachers to undertake professional development has created a complex environment. The mere provision of services does not guarantee their quality.
More broadly, there is also a significant disconnect between research-backed characteristics of effective professional development and the actual design and delivery of most programmes in Ukraine (see Ambition 4). This issue is exacerbated by a lack of data on the effectiveness of various training formats, limited integration of international research findings into local practice, and an absence of systematic evaluation of how professional development impacts students’ academic outcomes.
Points of reflection for the future on the delivery of quality professional learning opportunities
A challenge within the professional learning landscape is the variable quality of in-service trainings as there is currently no comprehensive system for assuring the quality of in-service training offerings. This also means that professional learning may not always meet the current priorities of the New Ukrainian School reform and the evolving demands of wartime education. Some of the potential avenues that could be further explored include:
Ensuring uniform quality standards are in place to guide delivery, and to support any efforts to monitor and evaluate the delivery. Integrating research-backed characteristics of effective professional development into the provision will be important here.
Considering mechanisms to assess providers’ reputation and the quality of delivery.
The voice of the profession may be important here, such as the evaluation of professional learning by participants, or the monitoring by a dedicated expert group of stakeholders (e.g. school leaders). This may also systematically consider not only the content of the programme when assessing the quality of in-service training courses, but also the methods of implementing the educational process.
Introducing micro-credentials may be fruitful as a tool for quality assurance and recognition of skills acquired through professional development offerings. Only those educational in-service training programmes that offer and implement systematic assessment of newly acquired professional skills could be eligible to award micro-credentials. To this end, it is also necessary to develop an appropriate regulatory framework and operational mechanisms for integrating micro-credentials into the system of professional development of teachers.
A digital platform could play a role too. To provide quality assurance, such a platform should not only display a list of professional development offers from various providers, but also include the possibility of expert verification of the quality of the educational programme implemented by the provider. The latter is a next step in updating the functionality of EdWay platform (see Box 6.5).
Strengthening the role of the network of Centres for Professional Development of Educators (CPDEs) in communities could be helpful in supporting teachers and educational managers in identifying quality learning offerings, facilitating the creation of individual professional development plans aligned with the national teacher professional standards, and collecting feedback from teachers on the quality of providers' courses. The school principals plan the professional development and reflect on it, and thus could provide input and feedback when the teachers choose their professional development courses.
Lever 9. Incentives to engage in professional learning
Several legislative mechanisms underpin teachers’ participation in professional development activities:
Article 59 of the Law of Ukraine “On Education” stipulates the continuous participation of teaching staff in advanced training programmes (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2017[1]). As previously mentioned, according to Resolution No. 800, the total volume of professional development for teaching and academic-pedagogical staff in general secondary and vocational (vocational-technical) education institutions must amount to at least 150 hours over a five-year period (Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, 2019[3]).
The law also guarantees state funding for teachers’ advanced training (Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, 2018[88])13.
The law also allows teachers to independently choose the form, type, direction, and provider of educational services for their advanced training (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2017[1]).
Both material and non-material incentives also play a role in motivating teachers to enhance their knowledge, skills, and competencies.
Material incentives include salary increases linked to career progression. Completion of professional development programmes can lead to the attainment of a higher qualification category, which in turn increases remuneration.
Non-material incentives include opportunities for networking and engagement in professional communities (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2017[1]). These networks facilitate experience-sharing and provide psycho-emotional support.
Further motivational factors include responding to changes in the general secondary education system following the implementation of the New Ukrainian School reform, as well as the challenges presented first by the COVID-19 pandemic and later by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. Such events have necessitated the acquisition of new knowledge, skills, and adaptive capacities, prompting many teachers to pursue further training (see Box 6.7).
A study on the implementation of the NUS reform in pilot educational institutions included an analysis of teacher motivation for professional development (State Research Institution “Institute of Educational Analytics”, 2021[89]). Notably, 63.8% of teachers cited self-realisation as the main motivating factor, pointing to a hunger to learn among many in the profession. The importance of financial motivation also grew significantly: in 2021, 41.0% of teachers linked advanced training to the opportunity for higher earnings. There has also been a marked increase in interest in career progression and professional growth based on autonomy and individual educational needs. Most teachers evaluated changes to the professional development system positively, particularly in relation to the ability to choose among service providers, the flexible format of distance learning, and the practical relevance of courses. These innovations not only expanded access to educational opportunities but also became essential tools for self-education and self-realisation, reinforcing teachers’ sense of professional autonomy. However, not all teachers were equally engaged in the process, highlighting the need to strengthen intrinsic motivation, particularly through improvements in quality, accessibility and formal recognition of professional growth (State Research Institution “Institute of Educational Analytics”, 2021[89]).
Participation in pilot projects under the NUS framework has also served as a powerful stimulus for teachers’ professional development. For example, in 2025, as part of the preparation for ‘Academic Lyceums’ at the upper secondary level – the final stage of the NUS reform implementation – principals of 30 pilot lyceums took part in a training programme for educational managers. The number of these pilot lyceums will be widened to some 150 in 2026.
This programme was developed by the savED charitable foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, with support from the international NGO Finn Church Aid Ukraine (FCA). The OECD has also facilitated international partnerships between Ukrainian pilot lyceums and international schools as a means of support, knowledge exchange and knowledge creation.
The programme included modules on educational human resource (HR) management, fundraising, strategic project management, psycho-emotional support, career guidance for adolescents, analysis of international education reform cases and marketing communications (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2025[90]).
Points of reflection for the future on incentives to engage in professional learning
Education reform and the challenges of war have created an urgent need for Ukrainian teachers to acquire new skills and competencies, and in some cases there are signs of teachers seeking out learning opportunities to grow in line with these new demands. Ukrainian teachers have a number of external and internal incentives to participate in professional learning. A key challenge remains ensuring that teachers see the 150 hours of in-service training guaranteed by Ukrainian law as an opportunity, rather than a burdensome obligation. Some of the future avenues that could be explored in relation to this include:
Ensuring alignment between professional learning and meeting the demands of the New Ukrainian School reform and overcoming the challenges of war gain could be impactful, helping to ensure professional learning is attractive and viewed by teachers as relevant to them.
A voluntary teacher certification may be a tool to support career progression. If professional learning can be means of attaining the necessary competencies for this, it could motivate engagement. Hence, it is not participation in professional learning that is assessed, but the skills professional learning builds which is important for real but not formal professional development.
In particular, building on this point, micro-credentials may be beneficial as a structured assessment tool that validates the person’s acquisition of particular new skills during the process of obtaining a qualification. Courses that end with such assessment and lead to achievement of micro-credentials could serve as a basis for assuming additional roles within a teacher’s horizontal career progression.
Digital services and platforms could play significant role as a motivational tool for further professional growth. For example, a teacher's profile on the platform, with their consent, could display micro-credentials they have earned, which would nurture their career progression and be considered for new roles.
Lever 10. A culture of collaborative inquiry within and across schools
Fostering a culture of professional inquiry within teacher communities requires the establishment of systemic conditions that integrate collaboration and reflection systematically into the daily work of schools. Such a culture does not emerge spontaneously. It is cultivated through clearly defined procedures, supported structures, and strategic management decisions that transform inquiry from a sporadic activity into a consistent educational norm in schools. It is also supported by access to high-quality sources of knowledge, as set out in the next two levers.
Research has suggested that one key barrier to achieving cultures of collaborative inquiry within schools is the limited implementation of pedagogical autonomy. According to the Center for Innovation in Education, although autonomy exists in formal terms, teachers are often unable to exercise it effectively due to time constraints, insufficient professional competencies, and a lack of effective motivational mechanisms (Pro.Svit, 2020[91]). This underscores the need for comprehensive support from educational management bodies to create conditions that enable both the development of autonomy and the establishment of a research-orientated culture within every educational institution.
This is reflected in the fact that few teachers create their own educational resources or have experience in publishing in professional publications, as reflected in the 2024 institutional audit of schools conducted by the State Service for Education Quality of Ukraine (SSEQ). Only about half of teachers have such practices, and even fewer are engaged in methodological development and dissemination of their own experience.
Significantly, there are examples of impactful cultures of collaborative inquiry being fostered in some schools. As part of the piloting of the New Ukrainian School reform in upper secondary education, launched on 1 September 2025, 30 lyceums were selected to jointly research and try updated approaches to the organisation of the educational process. These approaches include the development of individual learning trajectories and subject specialisation for students in Grades 10–12 (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, n.d.[92]). The pilot initiative is accompanied by ongoing monitoring and scientific support, as one of its objectives is to scientifically justify and experimentally verify the educational and methodological materials aligned with the new educational standards (Lviv Regional Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education, 2025[93]). A pre-pilot phase has supported the preparation for this work, including with the OECD facilitating partnerships between participating pre-pilot Ukrainian schools and international schools, which will be further expanded. These types of partnerships with international schools as well as the connections between schools aim to foster more inquiry and exchange within and between schools.
Nevertheless, a widespread culture of collaborative inquiry remains largely underdeveloped. This is due to insufficient training among school leaders and teachers, and the lack of necessary resources to facilitate structured collaboration.
Points of reflection for the future on nurturing cultures of collaborative inquiry within and across schools
As a result of different pilots of the NUS reform, active professional communities of teachers began to form, sharing experiences, establishing horizontal connections and sharing common values. At the same time, there is a need to foster a culture of collaborative inquiry and horizontal professional communication more widely. Going forward, some potential avenues to explore could include:
Ensuring that schools have the resources (e.g. time, financial resources) to foster this culture, including access to high-quality digital sources, as well as the know-how and skills for building inquiry will be relevant here.
Nurturing in-service training opportunities for collaborative inquiry and mutual pedagogical reflection for school leaders who organise horizontal professional development. School leaders are the main agents of change and innovation at the local level. If teaching staff are ready for change, but the school leader does not support them, it demotivates the teachers.
Promoting the development of potential leaders of professional learning communities to implement innovations in teaching practice and for scaling up, development of subject associations that are designed to improve educational processes, similar to the experience of Estonia. Similarly, fostering school-level cultures through specific in-service training opportunities not only at the individual level, but also at the level of teams of schools to build capacity in joint growth of development strategies and plans for implementing changes at the teaching staff level.
More broadly, the presence of collaborative inquiry may be an expectation in any school development plans or become one of the criteria for the quality of an educational institution, which is monitored by the State Service of Education Quality of Ukraine. In particular, inquiry could be orientated around the implementation of the NUS (e.g. competency-based teaching) or responding to particular challenges from Russia’s war of aggression (e.g. educational losses). This may also enable the disseminating of practices that demonstrate successful outcomes and provide feedback to education authorities on content components and methodologies that need to be further attended to.
Lever 11. Developing engagement with research
The development of culture of using scientific research within Ukrainian schools is a key prerequisite for the meaningful renewal of educational content. Evidence from scientific research can provide valuable knowledge for adapting practices as well as supporting processes of iterative innovation and refinement.
Promisingly, in pilot institutions testing new state standards, a research-informed culture and an empirical approach to planning educational changes is gradually emerging. Innovative educational activities are typically carried out through pedagogical experiments or innovative educational projects conducted at national or regional levels in line with the regulations approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 2000[94]; Ministry of Education and Science Ukraine, 2023[95]). They involve collaboration with research institutions, and data are gathered through pedagogical research based on the outcomes of these initiatives.
A notable example is the piloting of the New Ukrainian School reform at primary level, which began in 2017 and involved 143 schools across the country. The piloting has since expanded to include lower secondary schools (Grades 5–9) and specialised upper secondary schools. The Institute of Educational Analytics regularly conducts monitoring studies covering various aspects of the NUS pilot, including the quality of educational and methodological support, the usage of teaching aids and classroom equipment, the effectiveness of teacher training, the assessment practices for student learning outcomes, and the overall perceptions of the pilot process among stakeholders (Denysiuk et al., 2024[96]).
There are also growing numbers of teachers who are actively involved in data collection, analysis and interpretation for both national and international research studies such as PISA, TALIS, SSES, as well as initiatives coordinated by the SSEQ and the Institute of Educational Analytics. Schools increasingly serve as testing grounds for innovative methods and tools, including: methodologies, digital solutions, blended learning models, and national platforms such as the All-Ukrainian Online School and “Mriia”. Participation in these types of initiatives can help foster more research literacy and engagement among teachers and schools.
However, participants in the 2024 institutional audit of schools conducted by the SSEQ noted that the vast majority do not cooperate with research institutions and do not implement projects or experiments of the all-Ukrainian or regional level (e.g. Democratic School, Innovative Schools of the Cherkasy Region, or piloting of new educational standards) (Verhun, 2025[97]). Only 8% of institutions participate in all-Ukrainian or regional educational experiments. More broadly, fostering a culture of research engagement where research is a key part of the conversation remains a widespread challenge still. The audit found that the issue of participation in research and innovation activities is discussed at meetings of pedagogical councils in only 23% of schools (Verhun, 2025[97]).
The challenge of building a widespread culture of research engagement in Ukrainian schools is reflected in the ongoing work to bring what happens in classrooms in line with some of the pedagogical approaches that have been advocated for in research studies. In most institutions, teachers do not employ pedagogical tools aimed at developing key competencies, such as level differentiation, STEM education, robotics, and project-based or inquiry-based learning. Instead, traditional teaching approaches continue to dominate, limiting students’ ability to apply their knowledge in real-life contexts (Verhun, 2025[97]).
This trend is further reflected in teachers’ selection of educational materials, particularly those with an integrated component. “A textbook may be considered integrated if it facilitates the co-ordination and unification of separate elements within the curriculum into a coherent whole within a single subject” (Zasiekina, 2020[98]). Such textbooks combine the content of several traditional subjects around a common theme or competence, which contributes to a holistic perception of knowledge, and their innovation is manifested in the combination of printed materials with interactive online tools, multimedia content, educational games and adaptive exercises. Despite the availability of such resources, the majority of teachers still prefer traditional textbooks, which often fall short of competency-based education standards. Notably, integrated textbooks, designed to promote interdisciplinary connections and critical thinking, failed to surpass 10 000 copies during competitive selection14 (Ministry of Education and Science Ukraine, 2025[99]), indicating a low level of readiness among the teaching staff to adopt innovative methods.
Thus, although Ukrainian schools are increasingly actively involved in scientific and analytical initiatives, there remains a need to go from pockets of excellence to a position where the entire system is nurtured by rich, meaningful engagement with research. Support from management structures and research institutions, as well as the further development of a professional community of teachers capable of critically reflecting on research findings, are all important going forward.
Points of reflection for the future on developing engagement with research
Developing infrastructure between stakeholders around research may help foster more engagement among teachers and schools. For instance, some avenues that could be considered include:
There may be some advantages to networks of research schools that conduct research in partnership with universities and other research institutions, in a similar vein to England (United Kingdom). This could also see collaboration between clusters of schools, research institutions, in particular Institutes of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, Institute for Educational Analytics, Ukrainian Institute of Education Development and departments in the Ministry of Education and Science to work on finding solutions to particular issues and can disseminate their findings and experience.
Leveraging the ‘early adopters’ of change, in particular, pilot schools in the implementation of the New Ukrainian School reform, which implement field testing of innovations and new approaches, share their experiences and motivate others. Indeed, ensuring that there are feedback loops for the research work of expert teachers to contribute to wider professional learning may be relevant, as per Finland's experience.
It could be that certain digital tools, such as platforms, can engage various actors in educational projects. For instance, this may be helpful in securing funding for particular projects or facilitating collaboration between stakeholders.
Effective research infrastructure is dependent on quality research to work with. An area of further exploration may be how to enhance the supply of quality evidence for teachers to draw upon, such as through synthesis work. For instance, it could be a case of expanding the capabilities of Ukrainian institutions that already provide educational monitoring and research, such as the Ukrainian Centre for Educational Quality Assessment, the State Service of education quality of Ukraine, the Institute of Educational Analytics. In particular, it may be useful to expand the range of their research and include synthesis work on teaching methods and technologies, similarly to England (United Kingdom)’s experience.
Teachers are rarely involved in expert or research activities, except for those who are employees of schools piloting NUS or new standards. This raises the question of building research literacy more widely, and it could be that the following are further explored:
The development of research skills may be integrated into the initial teacher education programmes and ensured that these skills are further developed through ongoing professional learning opportunities. For instance, developing skills in interpreting the research evidence and using it in their own practice.
Similarly, professional learning for school leaders may help their ability to cultivate teachers’ research skills, and a culture of using research to improve practice at the school.
Lever 12. Systematising and disseminating knowledge
An essential avenue for knowledge dissemination is intra-community interaction within the educational environment, in particular between the work of methodological associations, professional communities and various educational initiatives. There are some strong foundations in Ukraine already in this regard.
For instance, the institutional foundation for the systematisation and dissemination of knowledge among educators is the network of Centres for the Professional Development of Pedagogical Workers. Notably, these have been established in most communities across Ukraine.
According to the Regulation on the Centres for the Professional Development of Pedagogical Workers, such communities are associations that facilitate continuous professional growth (Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, 2020[100]).
The functions of these centres include providing consultations, delivering training sessions and webinars, developing professional development programmes, supporting teacher appraisal, and facilitating the creation of professional communities (UIED, 2025[101]).
These teacher communities are based on the principles of humanism, voluntariness, personal growth trajectories, and shared values.
As of 1 October 2024, there were 364 such centres in Ukraine, with 351 operational. Positive developments have been noted in several regions, including Ternopil, Kharkiv, Chernivtsi, and Chernihiv. However, a decline in active centres was observed in six front-line regions, particularly in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
Civil society organisations also play a key role in supporting connections and the dissemination of emerging knowledge from new initiatives. For example, the public organisation EdCamp Ukraine, which works in the field of social and emotional learning (SEL), has become the national centre for conducting an international comparative study on social-emotional skills (SES) in Ukraine. At the same time, EdCamp Ukraine has formed a robust educational community comprising over 50 000 teachers, with representation in at least every second school across the country. As a result, research findings are widely disseminated within schools, and educational institutions collaborate through events organised by EdCamp Ukraine focussed on SEL topics. Monitoring studies highlight the high effectiveness of EdCamp events: nearly 80% of participants report the immediate implementation of acquired knowledge and skills into their teaching practice, particularly in the area of supporting students’ social-emotional development. In response to challenges identified through research, the community also provides the necessary support resources (EdCamp, n.d.[102]).
This type of ecosystem-based approach to knowledge dissemination can be seen also in the training of teachers during the implementation of the New Ukrainian School reform at the primary school level. From 1 September 2018, Ukraine introduced a new more competency-based model based on the State Professional Standard “Primary School Teacher of a General Secondary Education Institution” (Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, 2018[103]). To ensure that teachers were adequately prepared for these changes, a centralised in-service training programme for primary school teachers was launched. Approximately 22 000 teachers participated annually. The training was delivered using a blended learning model, comprising a 60-hour online course supported by the EdEra NGO, combined with three in-person sessions of equal duration (a total of 120 hours), held at regional Institutes of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education (IPPEs) with the involvement of trainers trained by the Osvitoria NGO. A defining feature of this approach was not only its large-scale reach, but also the establishment of active professional teacher communities. These communities enabled peer-to-peer learning, exchange of best practices, and the formation of shared values among educators. The success of this initiative was made possible through close co-operation between state institutions and civil society, showcasing the effectiveness of an ecosystem model for teacher professional development on a national scale.
As mentioned, it is also promising to see the development of digital platforms that can support teachers’ access to quality knowledge at greater scale (see Box 6.7).
Another key tool in the dissemination of knowledge is access to external digital resources, which provide teachers with flexible learning opportunities, participation in professional events, and access to curricula and communities. Examples include:
All-Ukrainian Online School – A state-run platform offering free video lessons, quizzes, and summaries for Grades 5–11 (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and Smart Education, n.d.[104]).
Diia.Osvita (Diia.Education) – Diia, a Ukrainian government app and web portal that provides a wide range of government services, including Diia.Education which is a national ‘edutainment’ platform that offers free courses, digital-literacy training, reskilling and upskilling opportunities to people of all ages (Diia.Osvita, n.d.[105]).
EdCamp Ukraine – A national public organisation that hosts teacher conferences, professional development events, conducts research, contributes to educational policy reform, and cultivates professional communities (EdCamp Ukraine, n.d.[106]).
Prometheus – Ukraine’s largest platform for massive open online courses, including specialised training programmes for educators (Prometheus, n.d.[107]).
EdEra – Ukrainian edtech company that develops educational content and tools for government, businesses, and civil society. It creates online courses, e-textbooks, and collaborates with NGOs and government bodies (EdEra, n.d.[108]).
New Ukrainian School Portal – One of Ukraine’s leading educational media platforms. Originally created to promote the NUS reform, it now covers a wide range of topics related to preschool and general secondary education, and shares best international education practices (New Ukrainian School, n.d.[109]).
Osvitoria.Media – An educational media outlet dedicated to modern teaching practices and methodologies, with a strong focus on the development of both teachers and parents (Osvitoria Media, n.d.[110]).
Teach for Ukraine – A public organisation affiliated with the international Teach For All network, which includes over 60 member countries. The organisation works to engage young leaders in schools to promote equal access to quality education (Teach For Ukraine, n.d.[111]).
Points of reflection for the future on systematising and disseminating knowledge
In the area of systematising and dissemination of knowledge, Ukrainian education has developed a range of external resources, mostly digital, both government-led and created by the public sector. Such resources give Ukrainian teachers access to professional development programmes, educational events, professional communities and their activities. Institutional support for the systematisation and dissemination of knowledge is delivered through the Teacher Professional Development Centres (TPDCs), which are designed to offer guidance for teachers, facilitate them in their professional development, and disseminate successful educational practices.
At the same time, one challenge is the access to this type of knowledge in a coherent and coordinated way. Some avenues that could be further explored here in response to this challenge include:
Digital platforms may develop as a unified gateway for sharing experience and dissemination of educational research evidence for teachers to learn about, in particular, in relation to the implementation of the NUS reform and overcoming the challenges of war. For instance, the online platform All-Ukrainian Online School of the Ukrainian Institute for Educational Development (UIED) could be expanded and become such a place for this purpose.
Promoting the use of peer-to-peer learning approach may expand through the exchange of experience on digital educational platforms, which encourages teachers to voluntarily share their own methodological materials with some preliminary selection and curation to ensure a quality offering. More broadly, it may be that such materials could be recognised in the certification evaluations of teachers' practice or some incentive payments can be provided for them.
Ensuring the digital infrastructure is in place for all to access such platforms may need further exploration, with some concerns of the suitability of the infrastructure in some areas. It may be fruitful to allocate specific funding to this to ensure access to high-quality digital resources and up-to-date research findings.
There may also be value in looking at how more coherence can be provided to horizontal sharing among key stakeholders. For instance, some areas that could be explored include:
Promote professional associations and co-operation among initial teacher education universities, education authorities, and schools, including through joint educational forums to share experiences and establish close co-operation, such as the systemic National Teacher Education Forum in Finland.
It may be valuable to cooperate with other stakeholders within and beyond the community — e.g. employers, interested businesses — to offer a wider range of educational activities for students, including job/career exploration, involvement in various activities, participation in projects for the benefit of the local community, and volunteer engagement. Initiatives such as networks could help schools better consider the needs of communities, including aspects such as the expectations of the local labour market from graduates.
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← 1. Article 22, Law of Ukraine “On Complete General Secondary Education”
← 2. Throughout this text, the reference “Source: EDEBO” should be understood to mean that the relevant statistical data have been calculated on the basis of information from the Unified State Electronic Database on Education (EDEBO). This database contains information on educational programmes, institutions, students, postgraduate students in Ukraine, and more. A portion of anonymised data from EDEBO is publicly available via the internet at https://registry.edbo.gov.ua/opendata/. Other data, used for analytical purposes in this document, was obtained by the authors from the State Enterprise “Inforesurs” (the administrator of EDEBO), in response to formal data requests.
← 3. Part Five of Article 58 of the Law of Ukraine “On Education”
← 4. Further in this text, statistical information on teacher learning is provided primarily at the bachelor’s level, as it represents the main stage within the system of initial teacher learning.
← 5. Professional pre-higher education — July 2021; bachelor’s level — June 2022; master’s level — April 2024; PhD — June 2022.
← 6. Dated 3 July 2025, entitled “On the Approval of Methodological Recommendations on the Specifics of Implementing Educational Programmes in the Field of Knowledge A ‘Education’”.
← 7. The pedagogical internship in Ukraine is regulated by the Law of Ukraine “On Complete General Secondary Education” and the Regulations on Pedagogical Internship, approved by Order No. 1128 of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, dated 25 October 2021.
← 8. Supervision is regulated by the Procedure for Providing Professional Support and Assistance to Pedagogical Employees (Implementation of Supervision), approved by Order No. 855 of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, dated 14 June 2024.
← 9. Approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1109, dated 23 December 2015.
← 10. These conversions of UAH to EUR are based on the average annual exchange rate for 2024, which was UAH 43.4 per euro.
← 11. Certification of teaching staff is regulated by the relevant regulations approved by the Government Resolution No. 1190 dated 27 December 2018.
← 12. The requirements for advanced training programmes are established by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, No. 800, dated 21 August 2019, “Some Issues of Advanced Training of Pedagogical and Scientific-Pedagogical Workers”.
← 13. Funding is allocated in accordance with the Procedure and Conditions for Providing a Subvention from the State Budget to Local Budgets to Ensure High-Quality, Modern and Accessible General Secondary Education of “New Ukrainian School”.
← 14. The textbook selection procedure involves a step-by-step process that begins with teachers familiarising themselves with electronic versions of textbooks, cover designs, and appendices. After that, teachers collectively select the most appropriate textbooks, approving the choice at a meeting of the pedagogical council, and the results are transmitted to education management bodies. The final stage is a competitive evaluation, the results of which determine the textbooks recommended for printing and use in schools. The Ukrainian Institute for the Development of Education coordinates this process. What every teacher should know about choosing textbooks. URL: https://mon.gov.ua/news/shcho-maie-znaty-kozhen-uchytel-pro-vybir-pidruchnykiv.