Kyiv Council Resumes Competitive Hiring for School and Kindergarten Directors

Kyiv Reinstates Competitive Selection for Educational Leadership Roles

According to Главком: During its plenary session of the 5th convocation's 9th meeting on May 28, the Kyiv City Council voted to restart competitive selection processes for directors of municipal preschools and secondary schools. The decision garnered support from 63 council members.

The initiative was spearheaded by Vadym Vasylchuk, Valentyn Mondryivskyi, Oleksandr Suprun, and Borys Siklistskyi. Vasylchuk, who chairs the standing committee on education, science, youth, and sports, highlighted the significance of reinstating these procedures. According to Vasylchuk,

“restoring the competitive selection will bring back an open and transparent process for appointing heads of educational institutions.”

Under the approved measure, directors of secondary schools will be appointed based on competition results, for terms defined by Ukraine's Law on Complete General Secondary Education. Meanwhile, heads of preschools will be appointed by district state administration heads following a competitive process, under fixed-term employment contracts.

Vasylchuk stressed that

“such positions cannot be filled manually.”

He emphasized the need for a competitive process, clear rules, professional candidate evaluation, and accountability to the community. “In many Ukrainian cities, competitions for leadership roles in education are held even under martial law,” he added, noting that “Kyiv must also return to transparent procedures where possible.”

Candidates and the Importance of Transparent Processes

Vasylchuk stated that candidates should bring experience, a development plan for their institution, and a commitment to achieving results. “Education needs strong managers, and the community has the right to know who leads its schools and kindergartens and by what criteria,” he concluded.

Beyond the reinstatement of competitive selection, the Kyiv Council session also addressed other key issues, including:

• transferring land plots to citizens under private homes;
• privatization;
• registering plots under green zones managed by Kyivzelenbud;
• land registration for condominium associations (OSBBs);
• providing temporary housing for specialists from other regions of Ukraine working to restore Kyiv's infrastructure.

This move to restore competitive hiring for educational leadership positions in Kyiv marks a significant step toward greater transparency and accountability in managing the city's schools. Competitive procedures are expected to attract qualified professionals with relevant experience and a drive for development, which could ultimately enhance the quality of education in the capital. It also underscores the importance of upholding democratic principles when appointing officials in the education sector.

As the Kyiv City Council reinstates competitive hiring for educational leaders, it's essential to consider the upcoming changes in the enrollment process for kindergartens. This new system, set to launch in May, aims to streamline admissions and improve access for families. To learn more about how these reforms will impact early childhood education in the city, read about the new enrollment procedures for kindergartens.