As part of the education reform in Ukraine, the possibility of excluding part-time education for higher education was considered, but this decision was rejected. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Mykhailo Vynnytskyi, in an interview with The Ukrainians, which was published on January 15.
He confirmed his previous statement, in which he called the correspondence form of education "a rudiment of the Soviet Union." However, he now admits that not all aspects of the past can be simply dismissed, as many things, including the energy system and university buildings, remain from those times.
Vynnytskyi emphasized the importance of not destroying, but transforming those structures that are possible to improve. He explained that at first they considered the possibility of canceling correspondence education, believing that distance education could replace it. However, after consultations with the rectors, deputies and the public, it was decided to improve correspondence education, and not to cancel it.
According to the Deputy Minister of Education and Science, correspondence education is now very popular in Ukraine, and 290,000 students are enrolled in various programs. However, he identified the problem as the quality of part-time learning, which often focuses on obtaining a diploma rather than developing competencies and skills. In order to improve the situation, measures are already being developed, such as increasing the virtual contact hours of teachers and introducing intermediate knowledge tests for students. This is especially relevant given the significant use of the distance learning format.
