Quality lyceum starts with the decision: not to adapt students to profiles, but create profiles according to students’ real need, willingness, preferences, and interests

Nadiia Kolisnyk
DECIDE National Expert on Cooperation with Local Government Associations

Yana Brusentsova
DECIDE National Expert on Local Self-Govenment

 

Within the framework of the reform of specialised senior secondary education, approaches to the internal organisation of the educational process are undergoing significant changes. This is not about the formal structure of classes, but about creating real opportunities for students to make choices and shaping flexible educational trajectories. In particular, a lyceum should have at least two classes offering education across three specialisations, within three clusters: science and mathematics (STEM), languages and literature, and social sciences and humanities. If a lyceum is the only one in the community, it is responsible for ensuring that all three clusters are provided. This follows directly from the provisions of the Regulations on Lyceums, and is also enshrined in the Ukrainian Law “On Comprehensive General Secondary Education”, which guarantees the accessibility and diversity of complete general secondary education regardless of place of residence.

An important feature of the new model is the opportunity for students to change their chosen profile in Grade 10. Such a change is made at the request of the student (or their parents) and is accompanied by career guidance counselling. This enables students to make a conscious choice.

It should be noted that three educational profiles have to be provided within each form of education offered by the lyceum: full-time (including blended learning), distance learning, and evening classes. This is a fundamentally important provision which ensures equal access to specialised education for different categories of students, regardless of the form of education they are pursuing.

Distance learning plays a particularly important role under current circumstances. It is provided for in Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine “On Education” and Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine “On Comprehensive General Secondary Education”, and accordingly opens up opportunities for:

• children who are temporarily or permanently abroad;
• children in temporarily occupied territories – for whom distance learning is often the only safe and accessible way to receive a Ukrainian education;
• students who, for whatever reason, are unable to attend in-person classes.

In this context, the requirement to provide three study profiles in distance learning is not a mere formality, but a tool for ensuring equal access to education. Students, regardless of their location, have the right to choose not only the form of learning but also its content – that is, the profile.

At the same time, the law provides for two different forms of education within the Ukrainian education system for students abroad.

The first is fully remote learning at a Ukrainian lyceum. In this case, the child follows the full Ukrainian curriculum and can choose any profile within the three clusters.

The second is study based on the Ukrainian studies component. This format is aimed at students who attend school in their host country at the same time, to maintain a connection with the Ukrainian education system. However, in this case, they can only choose a profile within the language and literature or social sciences and humanities clusters.

The reform therefore involves not merely changing the structure of lyceums, but creating a flexible system in which:

• students have access to three specialisation profiles;
• these profiles are offered across all forms of education;
• distance learning becomes a fully-fledged means of accessing a Ukrainian specialised school;
• children abroad can either maintain links with Ukraine through a Ukrainian studies component, or receive a full specialised education remotely.

Profiles are formed exclusively within the boundaries of defined educational clusters, as enshrined in the concept of the reform of specialised senior secondary education and the provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On Comprehensive General Secondary Education”. This means that specialised education does not allow for the arbitrary combination of subjects from different fields. Each specialisation is a coherent, logically interconnected educational pathway that ensures in-depth study of subjects within a specific field and the acquisition of knowledge in that field throughout Grades 11 and 12.

The STEM cluster encompasses specialisations focused on the in-depth study of natural and technical sciences. These include profiles such as chemistry–biology, mathematics–physics, and mathematics–computer science–technology, amongst others.

The Language and Literature Cluster focuses on the development of linguistic, communicative and cultural competences. It may include profiles such as the Ukrainian language and literature, the Ukrainian language combined with the languages and literatures of national minorities, as well as foreign languages, and so on.

The Social and Humanities cluster is oriented towards the social sciences, culture, and economic literacy. It may include profiles such as history and civic education, geography and a foreign language, economics and finance, as well as the arts, to name but a few.

It should be noted that the list of profiles provided is not exhaustive and is intended as a framework. It sets out the basic logic behind the structure of specialised (profile-based) education, but does not restrict educational institutions in developing their own approaches to the formation of profiles.

However, this autonomy does not mean that educational institutions are free to combine the content of different clusters at will. An educational institution may not create arbitrary cross-cluster profiles, such as: arts and mathematics, physics and philology, or biology and history. Such combinations run counter to the logic of the cluster model, as a profile should ensure consistency, academic coherence, and compliance with the state standards.

It is important to understand the difference between organisational units. It is worth emphasising that a class and a profile are not the same thing. A profile is not “assigned” to a specific class. Instead, the school offers at least three profiles, and students from different classes choose the profile that suits them, as well as their subjects and courses. The key objective is not simply to provide knowledge, but to ensure a deep immersion in the chosen field.

The effectiveness of such a model depends directly on the number of students. Although regulatory documents do not specify a minimum class size specifically for lyceums, the organisation of the educational process has to take into account other established requirements. In particular, dividing students into groups to study specialised or selected subjects (integrated courses), as well as forming cross-class and rotating groups, is only possible if there are at least 8 students.

Class sizes in state and municipal lyceums, and the procedure to be followed in the event of insufficient enrolment, are determined by legislation, in particular the Law of Ukraine “On Comprehensive General Secondary Education”. If a class cannot be formed, students are educated through alternative forms of learning or at another institution, subject to availability. A sufficient number of students creates the conditions for forming a greater number of learning groups, flexible organisation into profiles and cross-class groups, as well as expanding the range of available educational trajectories.

The larger the student body, the greater the scope for the educational institution to organise a variety of profile groups within specific clusters. This, in turn, helps to ensure not only the basic implementation of the three clusters, but also a richer and more varied range of profile options that better meet the individual interests and abilities of the students.

Accordingly, the new model for specialised senior secondary education forms a coherent and logically structured system centred on the student, their educational needs, and their right to make conscious choices. The cluster approach ensures the structure and quality of specialised education whilst, at the same time, maintaining a sufficient level of autonomy for educational institutions to develop their own educational programmes. This model is responsive to contemporary challenges, enhances the quality of education, and lays the foundation for a competitive future for every student and the system as a whole.