What's changing in Ukrainian schools
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has signed off on new school rules that will take effect when the 2026/2027 academic year begins. The changes are part of a broader effort to modernize Ukraine's education system while responding to wartime challenges. The reforms touch on three main areas: the curriculum, student meals, and the way learning is organized. The academic year in question runs from September 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. Students now in grades 10 and 11 will be allowed to finish their schooling under the current curriculum. A three-year specialized profile program covering grades 10 through 12 is set to roll out on September 1, 2027.
During 2026/2027, the new model will be tested as a pilot. A total of 150 lyceums from different parts of Ukraine will join the second phase of this experiment. At academic lyceums, students will be able to pick a learning profile, dive deeper into certain subjects, and have a say in shaping their own educational path. For students in grades 7 through 9, the amount of class time devoted to Ukrainian history and civic education will increase. No school will be allowed to drop required subjects from its curriculum.
When it comes to meals, starting in September students at municipal schools who attend in person or in a hybrid format will receive one free hot meal per day. For the September–November period, the government has set aside more than 7.4 billion hryvnias in subvention funding. The updated standards also include separate curricula for special institutions and classes serving children with special educational needs. In addition, changes to the regulations governing inclusive education came into force on August 1.
There is also a new Ukrainian studies component for Ukrainian children enrolled in schools abroad. It will cover Ukrainian language and literature, the history and geography of Ukraine, basics of law, and the subject "Defense of Ukraine." The program is designed for 5 to 8 hours per week, and grades from other subjects can be recognized based on documents issued by foreign schools.
In this way, the new rules are intended to help modernize Ukraine's education system in light of current challenges and student needs. Introducing fresh programs and learning standards, along with free meals, highlights the government's push to improve education quality and support students in difficult times.
The pilot phase will be a key step in evaluating how well the innovations work before they are scaled up across the country.