An Orthodox Gymnasium in Chorniavka
An Orthodox gymnasium in the village of Chorniavka, Cherkasy region, has been operating for approximately five years without a license for general secondary education. Named after Saint Sergius of Radonezh, this institution is registered as a sole proprietorship and is affiliated with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). It currently provides schooling for around 100 children.
Details of the Gymnasium's Operation
The gymnasium is situated on a 5-hectare plot about 30 km from the city of Cherkasy. According to the institution's director, Kateryna Dehterenko, it enrolls roughly 100 students from grades 1 through 11. She noted that only one pupil is from the local village of Chorniavka, with the rest commuting from the city.
The establishment is legally registered as a third-category sole proprietorship under the business activity of 'tutoring.' Dehterenko emphasized that the gymnasium offers tutorial services, a classification reflected in its official business codes. A critical issue is its lack of an educational license, which is mandatory for preschool and all levels of school education in Ukraine. This regulatory gap raises significant questions about the legitimacy of its full-time educational program.
Vasyl Suprun, the village head of Chorniavka, is aware of the gymnasium's activities but has also raised concerns regarding its unlicensed status. The situation highlights a broader challenge within Ukraine's education sector, where licensing is a fundamental requirement for ensuring quality and safety. The case of the Chorniavka gymnasium underscores potential risks to educational standards and student welfare when institutions operate outside official oversight.
The operation of this unlicensed Orthodox gymnasium points to a systemic issue of illegitimate educational institutions in Ukraine. The absence of a license calls into question the alignment of its curriculum with state standards and the overall safety of its students. This incident is likely to fuel a wider debate on the necessity for stricter regulatory control over private educational establishments across the country.