On 25 September 2025, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU) presented the conceptual foundations of the educational branches developed within the framework of the “Education for Life” policy. A delegation from the State Scientific Institution “Institute of Educational Analytics” took part in the event, including Deputy Director for Research and IT Projects Andrii Kyrianov, Deputy Director for Scientific and Organisational Work Hanna Tereshchenko, and Researcher of the Preschool Education Sector in the Department of Educational Statistics and Analytics Valentyna Tkachenko. 

The educational branch concepts serve as the main instrument for implementing the “Education for Life” policy. These documents define how learning should be structured from grade 1 to grade 12 in each branch (language and literature, mathematics, natural sciences, and others). Based on these concepts, curricula will be updated, new textbooks published, teacher training programmes created, and educational spaces modernised. These are systemic changes that will affect all aspects of school life, from the content of education to the preschool environment. The concepts are available for public review in the following areas:

• Civic and Historical Education
• Arts Education
• Physical Education
• Natural Sciences Education
• Social and Health-Preserving Education
• Informatics Education
• Mathematics Education
• Language and Literature Education (Foreign Languages)
• Language and Literature Education (Ukrainian Language, Ukrainian and World Literature)
• Technological Education

Digital Platform for Teachers

Building on these concepts, the MESU, in collaboration with the online education studio EdEra, is developing the “Education for Life” digital platform as a practical tool for teachers. It will support lesson planning with cross-curricular connections and track how pupils’ skills develop from grades 1 to 12.

The platform will include:

• Practical examples of how to integrate multiple subjects into a single lesson;
• Ready-to-use assignments to develop critical thinking and creativity;
• Tools for assessing not only knowledge but also skills;
• Guides for each educational branch with practical teaching advice.

The platform is scheduled to launch in October, following the completion of testing.

62 Schools Already Piloting the New Approach

This academic year, 62 schools within the New Ukrainian School (NUS) initiative began piloting new programmes and teaching materials for grade 5 in three branches – arts, natural sciences, and technology. Instead of studying subjects in isolation, pupils work on projects that combine knowledge from different disciplines. Teachers in pilot schools receive specialised training and ongoing methodological support. The results will inform necessary adjustments ahead of full-scale implementation.

New Standards for Learning Environments

In parallel with updating the curriculum, school learning environments are also being redesigned. The full-cycle urban design bureau Big City Lab, in partnership with the MESU, is preparing a guideline describing what modern educational environments should include, for example:

• Laboratories needed for science education;
• Properly equipped workshops for STEM subjects;
• Facilities required in arts studios, etc.

This document will establish new equipment and space standards for schools, supporting the implementation of modern teaching approaches and creating functional, innovative learning environments.

Implementation Timeline through 2030

2025–2026: Pilot programmes in three branches; launch of the digital platform; preparation of new curricula;

2026–2027: Development of new textbooks; second wave of pilot programmes in four branches; teacher training;

2027–2028: Pilot programmes in the remaining three branches; textbook publication; upgrading of school facilities;

2028–2029: Full implementation in all schools across Ukraine.

“Education for Life” is a comprehensive policy of the MESU aimed at systematically updating the content of school education, continuing and enhancing the NUS reform. Its goal is to ensure a holistic educational experience where the curriculum, teaching methods, and the learning environment complement one another, helping pupils better understand the world and themselves.

The event “Education for Life: Presentation of the Conceptual Foundations of Educational Branches” was organised by the MESU as part of the joint programme with the World Bank – LEARN: Improving Access to and Resilience of Education in Ukraine During Crisis – and in collaboration with EdEra.

The event recording is available on the official YouTube channel of the MESU via this link.

Information provided by the Press Centre of the MESU