Reforming the content of general secondary education in Ukraine (1991–2017): historical and source research

Abstract

Recently, an extremely important historical and source studies work has been published, in which for the first time have been systematically organized various materials on the reform of the content of general secondary education in independent Ukraine during 1991–2017. The selection, ordering of the documents and the preparation of the name index have been completed by the researchers of the Department of Pedagogical Source Studies and Biographistics of V. O. Sukhomlynskyi SSPL of the National Academy of Sciences (Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Corresponding Member of the NAES of Ukraine L. D. Berezivska; Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, active member of the NAES of Ukraine O. V. Sukhomlynska; Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor T. L. Havrylenko; Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Senior Researcher O. P. Mikhno; Doctor of Philosophy A. P. Durdas; Candidate of Historical Sciences S. V. Tarnavska; O.A. Boiko; T. M. Derevyanko; Kh. V. Sereda).

Currently, in the context of implementation of the key reform in the educational system – the development of the New Ukrainian School and the implementation of the Law of Ukraine "On Education" (2017), an attempt to study and analyze thoroughly the educational transformations in independent Ukraine is undeniably relevant. During the period of the state independence of Ukraine, a significant array of information was created on the issues of reforming the content of general secondary education: laws, programs, strategies, concepts, analytical materials and projects of these documents, prepared by individual authors or author groups during 1991–2017. Today, as the contributors note, it has been expedient to summarize and collect the texts of a conceptual nature that have become guidelines (laws, doctrines, concepts, programs, strategies, standards, analytical materials) for a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the processes of reforming the content of general secondary education in independent Ukraine; disclosure of little-known or unknown phenomena that took place in the educational space.

It is necessary to note that the anthology is already the second and successful attempt of the author team to organize systematically the array of materials, diverse in structure and character, reflecting the state of general secondary education in Ukraine at the time of its independence. The first was the anthology "Anthology of texts on education reform in Ukraine: programs, concepts, projects (1991–2017)", published in 2019.

Under the scientific guidance of L. D. Berezivska, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Corresponding Member of the NAES of Ukraine, Director of V. O. Sukhomlynskyi SSPL of Ukraine, the contributors to the anthology have done a great job of identifying, systematizing and displaying documents that influenced the reform of the content of general secondary education in Ukraine during 1991–2017.

We should also note that the proposed edition, having three chapters in its structure, highlights a number of topical issues, among them both the issue of reforming the content of general secondary education (Chapter I) and the reflection of the content of the state standards of general secondary education as a tool for preserving the unified educational space of Ukraine (Chapter II), and the concept of modeling the content of educational fields of general secondary education (Chapter III) in Ukraine within the selected chronological limits. It is positive that each chapter begins with a short overview article that provides the idea of its content. They were prepared by: Chapter I – L.D. Berezivska; Chapter II – T. L. Havrylenko; Chapter III – O. V. Sukhomlynska.

We should also note a great practical importance of the reviewed work. The presented documents are valuable for conducting historical and educational research. The materials of the anthology can be used by scientific, academic, pedagogical workers and applicants for education. These materials will contribute to the implementation of thorough scientific research on the development of the content of general secondary education, as well as national pedagogical thought in independent Ukraine.

Considering the relevance, scientific novelty and practical importance of the publication for the development of education and science, I recommend familiarizing yourself with it.