Draft Law No. 15254-1 introduced in Ukraine's Parliament
A new legislative proposal registered in Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada on June 3, 2026, seeks to remove mathematics from the list of compulsory subjects for the External Independent Evaluation (NMT) starting in 2027. If passed, the number of mandatory exam subjects would shrink from three to two. Currently, the NMT follows a '3+1' format, requiring Ukrainian language, mathematics, and history of Ukraine as core subjects, plus one elective.
In October 2024, the Rada had confirmed the NMT-2025 structure, keeping all three mandatory subjects: Ukrainian language, mathematics, and history. The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine also officially approved the 'Admissions Procedure for Higher Education in 2026,' a document spanning over 100 pages. Results from NMT-2025 revealed a stark divide in mathematics performance: while some applicants achieved perfect scores, a large share of test-takers failed to reach even the basic threshold.
Backlash from educators and researchers
Teachers and academics have quickly voiced opposition to the initiative. Oleksandr Kozlov, director of Vinnytsia Lyceum No. 9, commented:
“The logic is straightforward: simplify admissions by removing a tough exam, and graduates will stay in Ukrainian universities.”
He further warned that “history shows that artificially lowering the bar has never saved a system—it only legitimized its decline.” According to Kozlov, “the educational reality is unforgiving: once a subject is no longer required for admission, schools essentially stop teaching it at a proper level.”
Ihor Likarchuk, former director of the Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment, suggested that some lawmakers may suffer from 'mathemaphobia.' “A serious illness. Its roots go back to the schools they attended,” he remarked. Likarchuk stressed that “it is not mathematics that should be removed from the list of mandatory tests.”
Anton Senenko, a senior researcher at the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, expressed doubts about the bill's reasoning. “It's hard for me to understand what logic they are following: a short-term fix to keep kids from going abroad and trap them in a swamp of imitation universities, or is this genuinely a plan for the country's gentle disarmament?” he said. Senenko also highlighted the critical importance of intellectual capacity in an era of advanced technology and ongoing war.
In short, the bill to drop mathematics from mandatory NMT subjects has sparked heated debate and criticism from educators and scholars, who argue it could undermine the quality of education in Ukraine. Given modern educational demands and the need for international competitiveness, keeping math as a compulsory admissions subject may be essential for developing highly skilled professionals capable of analysis and complex problem-solving. This proposal could serve as a catalyst for broader discussions on reforming Ukraine's education system.
As debates continue over the proposed changes to the national exam structure, it's essential to consider the broader implications of such a shift. The recent discussion on reducing the number of mandatory exam subjects raises questions about the future of education in Ukraine and the potential impact on student preparedness for higher education.