Odesa Region | Education Reform Puts Pressure on Rural High Schools and Romanian-Language Schools

Uncertainty Ahead of the New School Year

As the 2026–2027 school year approaches, Ukraine’s secondary education reform is creating significant uncertainty for students in grades 10 and 11, parents and teachers. The main issue is the lack of a clear legislative solution regarding the continuation of studies in students’ current schools and the funding of classes that are not included in the new NUS – New Ukrainian School model.

The situation is particularly complicated in rural communities, where the reorganization of lyceums may require students to travel to other localities to continue their education.

The NUS Reform and Generations in Transition

The education reform was launched without all stages of the transition to the new upper-secondary education system being sufficiently and clearly regulated. Students following the NUS programme know that, after completing grade 9, they will have to choose a lyceum that provides upper-secondary education.

By contrast, the situation is different for students who will be in grades 10 and 11 during the 2026–2027 school year. They are not following the NUS programme and have only two more years of study remaining to complete secondary education. Under normal circumstances, this would mean that they could continue their studies at the school where they began their educational cycle.

Who Is Responsible for Funding the Classes?

One of the main problems is the lack of a clear legislative mechanism for funding grades 10 and 11 during the 2026–2027 school year.

The Ministry of Education and Science points to Parliament as responsible for addressing the legislative gap, while parents and school communities are waiting for a concrete decision. Between 2018 and 2026, five different ministers held the position of Minister of Education, yet the issue concerning the transition of students following the two-year upper-secondary programme was not resolved in time.

Two Bills Submitted to Parliament

To address the situation, two legislative initiatives were registered in the Verkhovna Rada in March 2026: No. 15082 and the alternative bill No. 15082-1.

The first bill, registered on 16 March, seeks to amend the legislation so that students can complete their upper-secondary education at the same institution where they began their educational cycle. The alternative bill, registered on 26 March, aims to ensure a transition without forcing students who began their studies under the previous system to change schools.

Both initiatives were reviewed by the Scientific and Expert Department of the Verkhovna Rada and forwarded to the Ministry of Education and Science for consideration.

Ministry Confirms Possibility of Continuing Studies at Students’ Current Schools

On 3 April, the Ministry of Education and Science issued clarifications regarding students who completed grade 9 during the 2025–2026 school year. According to these clarifications, students are not required to immediately switch to the 12-year education system and may continue their studies at the educational institution they have attended up to that point.

However, the two bills are still under consideration by parliamentary committees, and the effective implementation of the proposed solution depends on the adoption of the necessary legislative framework.

September Is Approaching and Schools Must Prepare

Pressure on the authorities is increasing as the new school year approaches, with classes scheduled to begin on 1 September 2026. By then, schools must determine class structures, student numbers, the allocation of teaching hours and the situation regarding teaching staff.

Parents and civil society representatives are calling for the issue to be placed on Parliament’s agenda as soon as possible. Without a decision, families do not know whether they should enrol their children in other institutions or wait for a legislative solution.

Parliamentary Recess Delays a Solution

In June, an attempt was made to bring the bills before Parliament, but they were not adopted. Until mid-August, parliamentarians were on recess, while schools and families remained without a final decision.

The former Minister of Education stated in May that, once the law was adopted, the ministry would be able to quickly issue the regulatory acts necessary for its implementation. The new Minister of Education, appointed in July 2026, has so far not provided a concrete solution regarding the continuation of studies at students’ current schools.

Local Communities Increasingly Determine the Future of Lyceums

In the absence of clear legislative intervention, part of the responsibility is shifting to local administrations. According to parliamentary education experts, territorial communities are responsible for establishing public schools, while local councils have the legal possibility of postponing the reorganization of certain institutions into gymnasiums until 1 September 2028.

However, this situation raises questions about the limits of local authorities’ powers and the relationship between decisions taken by local councils and national legislation governing education reform.

Romanian-Language Lyceums Among the Most Affected

The issue is particularly significant for Romanian communities in the Odesa region, where several educational institutions are at risk of losing their lyceum status.

In June, the transformation of the lyceum in Satu Nou into a gymnasium was approved in the Sarata Territorial Unit. The institution was the only Romanian-language school in the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district and represented the main option for students from the six Romanian villages in the area who wished to continue their education in their native language.

A similar situation has emerged in Borisăuca, where the Tatarbunary City Council decided in July to transform the local lyceum into a gymnasium starting with the 2026–2027 school year. As a result, students entering grade 10 will have to travel to a lyceum in the city of Tatarbunary to continue their studies.

Risk of Losing Classes and Teaching Positions

The delay in adopting the legislation could have long-term consequences. If parents are forced to enrol their children in other institutions before the law is adopted, schools of origin may be left without enough students to form grade 10 and 11 classes.

In such a situation, even a legislative solution favourable to students could come too late for some institutions. The problem would also affect teachers, particularly in rural schools, where low student numbers already make it difficult to maintain classes and teaching positions.

A Decision Is Needed Before the School Year Begins

Ukraine’s education reform is entering a critical stage, while the lack of rapid decisions is putting pressure on families as well as school and local administrations.

For Romanian communities in the Odesa region, the stakes are even higher: preserving Romanian-language lyceums and ensuring students’ right to continue their education as close as possible to their home communities. Without a legislative solution before the start of the school year, the current uncertainty risks turning into irreversible reorganizations of educational institutions.