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www.debaty.org November the 29 th , 2012 Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine UKRAINIAN HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION IS HOPELESSLY OUTMODED PUBLIC DEBATE BRIEF Speakers FOR the motion Speakers AGAINST the motion Dmytro Shymkiv General Director of Microsoft Ukraine Oleg Berezyuk Director of Humanitarian Policy Department of Lviv City Council Ina Mullis Executive Director of the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center at Boston College Aleksey Grekov Co-founder and strategic development director of the "Athens" private school This public debate was the first regional debate, organized by the Foundation for Effective Governance. The debate was held in Lviv with the support of Lviv City Council. Andrey Danilevich, a well-known journalist and TV presenter, moderated the debate. Today there is a popular belief that the Ukrainian education system is one of the top-rank systems in Europe. On the other hand statistics of the authoritative international organizations go to prove the contrary. In particular in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report for 2012 Ukraine is ranked the 70th out of 144 countries in quality of education, including secondary one, having lost 30 positions during the last 4 years. Is it true that the Ukrainian secondary education is outdated? Or quite the opposite is it a profound base for human capital development? The supporters of the debate’s topic were saying that the quality of the Ukrainian education does not meet the requirements of modern society. It raises generation of industrial age whereas today there is a need in people, who are able to process information, think independently and make decisions. School should develop personality, gifts of each particular pupil; such a result can be achieved via providing schools with autonomy and using modern technologies. The opponents were speaking about huge potential of the Ukrainian secondary education: it provides considerable scope of knowledge and there are experienced teachers working within this sector. In accordance with the results of the TIMSS international assessment Ukraine ranks the average in quality of education, the Ukrainian pupils show high performance and almost all of them have basic knowledge in mathematics and natural sciences, and this goes to prove that the Ukrainian education is headed in the right direction. The voting results before and after the debates showed that the number of the supporters of the panel FOR the motion had stayed the same and the panel AGAINST the motion had managed to gain over extra 6 per cent of the audience. The public debates serve as a social forum for discussion of issues essential for Ukraine’s economic development. The project is designed to foster a culture of constructive and substantiated debate, and to assist in forming public awareness on the key economic challenges facing our country.

Ukrainian high school education is hopelessly outmoded

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www.debaty.org

November the 29th, 2012 Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine

UKRAINIAN HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION IS HOPELESSLY OUTMODED PUBLIC DEBATE BRIEF

Speakers FOR the motion Speakers AGAINST the motion

Dmytro Shymkiv General Director of

Microsoft Ukraine

Oleg Berezyuk Director of Humanitarian Policy Department of Lviv City Council

Ina Mullis Executive Director of the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center at Boston College

Aleksey Grekov Co-founder and strategic

development director of the "Athens" private school

This public debate was the first regional debate, organized by the Foundation for Effective Governance. The debate was held in Lviv with the support of Lviv City Council. Andrey Danilevich, a well-known journalist and TV presenter, moderated the debate.

Today there is a popular belief that the Ukrainian education system is one of the top-rank systems in Europe. On the other hand statistics of the authoritative international organizations go to prove the contrary. In particular in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report for 2012 Ukraine is ranked the 70th out of 144 countries in quality of education, including secondary one, having lost 30 positions during the last 4 years. Is it true that the Ukrainian secondary education is outdated? Or quite the opposite is it a profound base for human capital development?

The supporters of the debate’s topic were saying that the quality of the Ukrainian education does not meet the requirements of modern society. It raises generation of industrial age whereas today there is a need in people, who are able to process information, think independently and make decisions. School should develop personality, gifts of each particular pupil; such a result can be achieved via providing schools with autonomy and using modern technologies. The opponents were speaking about huge potential of the Ukrainian secondary education: it provides considerable scope of knowledge and there are experienced teachers working within this sector. In accordance with the results of the TIMSS international assessment Ukraine ranks the average in quality of education, the Ukrainian pupils show high performance and almost all of them have basic knowledge in mathematics and natural sciences, and this goes to prove that the Ukrainian education is headed in the right direction.

The voting results before and after the debates showed that the number of the supporters of the panel FOR the motion had stayed the same and the panel AGAINST the motion had managed to gain over extra 6 per cent of the audience.

The public debates serve as a social forum for discussion of issues essential for Ukraine’s economic development. The project is designed to foster a culture of constructive and substantiated debate, and to assist in forming public awareness on the key economic challenges facing our country.

Page 2: Ukrainian high school education is hopelessly outmoded

Dmytro Shymkiv: “The fact, that the Ukrainian education receives particular international recognition, is outright thanks to parents and particular teachers, who manage to work out interesting training programs despite the existence of the “stamp” (everything, what is written, is to be certified by the Ministry of Education). The existing education raises generation of industrial age, whereas business community and society lack people of information sphere, able to think and express their viewpoint. Moreover we keep using paper sources when teaching children instead of creating interactive manuals”.

Oleg Berezyuk: “We possess historical traditional respect for education, cultivated by family and society; this is the most essential value. The second point to be mentioned is that the Ukrainian education is of accumulation mode. Our children learn a lot by heart, but when they come to the West, they stand first in their classes as they learn fast simple manipulation methodologies and they have enough background to be put in practice. And an individual approach in education constitutes the third value”.

Ina Mullis: “The TIMSS 2012 International Results indicate that the Ukrainian education system is headed in the right direction and ranks the average in international comparison. Many Ukrainian pupils demonstrated good-to-great performance results. According to TIMSS 2011 the majority of the learners received average and high scores in mathematics and natural sciences. Training programs are well-balanced, teachers are experienced with working experience of 20 and more years, pupils are interested in classes and are involved in class activities”.

Key statements

Voting results:

Comments and Q&A Session Comment: Dmytro Shymkiv: “Together with Russia we are two countries, which still teach Pascal in schools, though Pascal programming is no longer used”. Q: “Name three success factors for the secondary education system”. A: Dmytro Shymkiv: “For me in particular and for entrepreneurships these are autonomy of schools, independence for teachers and high technologies”. A: Ina Mullis: “Well prepared teachers, excellent resources and learners, who really care”. A: Oleg Berezyuk: “Staff, staff and staff once again”. A: Aleksey Grekov: “Autonomy of schools, “money follows the child” approach and staff”. Q: “In your opinion, does school teach pupils to trust each other, be honest, respect private property, does it teach to be responsible – all that things, which are essential for the 21st century?” A: Aleksey Grekov: “It’s possible to reach such a result in case there exist two principals: honesty and mercy. This is what can be called goodness DNA. One cannot teach that, this must run through every thing at school, this message must be delivered by every teacher”. Q: “In your opinion what model – the American or the Finnish – would be the one for us to approach to in our efforts to reform education?” A: Dmytro Shymkiv: “If we talk about educational system of higher institutions, I would prefer the model they have in the USA; if we take the secondary education, I lean towards the European model, which devotes more attention to forming practical skills and creative thinking”. Q: “In your opinion what skills will be in demand in the 2020-30s? What the secondary education should prepare pupils to?” A: Oleg Berezyuk: “The secondary education should ensure basic level of knowledge with potential for development, and in case a pupil has got this or that gift, school should foster it. And everything else is subject to be gained by a pupil, when he has analytically syntax thinking developed in his mind and he has enough background. Thus I would not force innovations upon education, I would rather improve basic conservative level of teaching”. A: Dmytro Shymkiv: “Firstly a global personality is a human being, able to live in global society and avoid having preconceived attitude to languages, cultures, races, abilities and faults. This person is able to unlock his potential. If a man has a gift in art or in acting, these skills should be developed, there is not need to teach him triple integral and complex artificial numbers”.

Aleksey Grekov: “Our school was established in the 19th century to fulfill the tasks which differ from those to be set today. At that time there was a need in people who were good in counting and writing. Today we require various schools, that will help to unlock different talents of pupils, we need tutor technologies to ensure that each child is raised by an outstanding teacher”.

Follow the link to receive additional information and access the video version of the debates:

www.debaty.org

The Foundation for Effective Governance 8 Illinska Str., 8th Entrance, 5th Floor

Kiev, 04070, Ukraine Tel.: +380 44 501 41 00

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Ukrainian high school education is hopelessly outmoded