State Examination in Grade 4: Is it really a “little EIT” and what parents need to know
22 September 2025 20:42
Ukraine is reintroducing state final certification for 4th grade students in a new format. After several years of interruption, the Ministry of Education and the Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment (UCEQA) plan to make it more standardized and centralized.
The news caused a strong reaction in society – parents started talking about “exams for junior high school students,” while experts emphasize that it is more of a monitoring tool than a classic EIT. This was reported by the Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assurance, "Komersant Ukrainian".
What will change?
- For students: a test in Ukrainian language and mathematics, similar to the one that was used before 2020, but with more “real-life” tasks.
- For teachers: tasks and instructions will be prepared by the UCEQA, not by teachers on the ground. The results will need to be entered into a centralized database.
- For the system: a single data collection tool is being created to see the real picture of knowledge in schools across the country.
What subjects will be assessed?
The assessment will cover two educational areas:
- language and literature (Ukrainian language and reading)
- and mathematics.
These subjects are considered fundamental for the transition to secondary school.
What will be the tasks?
The UCEQA emphasizes a competency-based approach.
- In language – understanding of texts, ability to express oneself, listening and speaking.
- In math, tasks from everyday life: shopping, measuring, cooking.
Where and how will the state examination take place?
Children will write their papers in their classrooms, with their teachers. There will be no traveling or computerized tests.
What if a child “fails”?
There will be no consequences.
The results will be used only for monitoring. This is a signal to parents and teachers: what topics are mastered and where help is needed.
Does this contradict the ideas of the New Ukrainian School?
The formative assessment, which is the basis of the NUS, is preserved. DPA-4 only adds digital data and a scale from 1 to 12 points, which allows comparing results between years.
When to expect changes?
- 2026 – piloting on a sample of 10 thousand students.
- 2027 – possible mass implementation, if the security situation allows.
Why during the war?
The need for an updated state examination was identified in 2018 in the Strategy for the Development of Educational Assessment until 2030. The war stopped the implementation, but now preparations and piloting are underway. Mass implementation will depend on the decisions of the parliament and the situation in the country.
What is the purpose of all this?
The goal is not to give a child an “excellent or poor” grade, but to give the school and the state a picture of how the system works. Parents will get feedback on their child’s level, and teachers will get material to improve their methods.
The 4th grade state examination will not be an exam or “EIT for kids”. Rather, it is monitoring in a child-friendly form that will allow schools, teachers, and parents to better see the real needs of students.
