The scandalous order of the Ministry of Education and Science on “distance learning” will be canceled, – Fedorov
17 July 10:40
Order of the Ministry of Education and Science No. 1112, which caused a flurry of criticism due to restrictions on distance learning, will be canceled. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology, as well as a candidate for the post of First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, according to
In his commentary, he stressed that the document will lose its validity, and new approaches to the organization of the educational process will be developed in the near future.
“On Friday, for example, Order No. 1112 will be canceled, which the MP community has many questions about. And together with the deputies, we will look for a way to achieve the goals and bring children offline, to safe schools. We will look for a way to catch up with all the knowledge that has been lost over the past few years – during Covid, a full-scale war – we will look for this way,” Fedorov assured.
What is the problem with the order of the Ministry of Education and Science No. 1112?
The document was supposed to come into force on September 1, 2025, and provided for significant changes in access to distance learning. It was criticized by educators, parents, NGOs, and even human rights activists.
1. Restrictions on the right to choose a school for IDPs
The order obliged internally displaced students to study full-time at schools at their place of actual residence, rather than remotely. This provision may have created additional psychological pressure on children who have already experienced displacement or loss of home.
2. Excessive requirements for the number of students in remote classes
The order of the Ministry of Education and Science stipulated that remote classes could only function if there were at least 20 students. This is contrary to the current Law of Ukraine “On Complete General Secondary Education,” which requires a minimum number of students of five. For many rural schools or schools abroad, this requirement could mean the abolition of distance learning.
3. Risks for children from the occupied territories
Students from the temporarily occupied territories were offered to study remotely only if they submitted an application from their parents with personal data. This could have jeopardized the safety of families who continue to maintain contact with the Ukrainian educational system.
4. Potential threat to children in frontline areas
The document insisted on full-time education in schools with available shelters. But in many communities, there are no shelters or they do not meet the requirements. In addition, the road to school in such areas is often dangerous due to constant shelling.
As reported by
Criticism of Lisovyi and rumors of a replacement
Oksen Lisovyi’s name has been repeatedly mentioned in the context of possible personnel changes in the government. As previously reported by Kommersant Ukrainsky, several candidates were considered:
- Andriy Vitrenko, the current deputy minister and a member of the Kyiv City Council
- Yuriy Yevdokimov, rector of Zhytomyr Polytechnic.
- Oleksiy Dniprov, rector of KNUBA.
The dismissal of the current minister, Oksen Lisovyi, has been discussed since last year. He is blamed for the failure of the admission campaign, in particular, for the rules of admission to higher education institutions that are not adapted to the conditions of war. They also criticize the optimization of higher education institutions without consulting the staff, as well as unfulfilled promises to raise teachers’ salaries.
Last August, the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Oksen Lisovyi announced that the Ministry of Education and Science had approved the Conceptual Framework for Reforming Historical Education in the General Secondary Education System. In the comments to this post, Ukrainians called Lisovyi the worst minister, an enemy of Ukraine, and “worse than Tabachnyk.”
It should be noted that the day before, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak announced that Ukraine would have a “second-rate government” with former deputies of current ministers playing key roles.
At the same time, the MP made public a number of expected personnel decisions, including the resignation of Minister Oksen Lisovyi.
According to
What is known about Oksen Lisovyi
Oksen Lisovyi was appointed Minister of Education and Science on March 21, 2023, by a decision of the Verkhovna Rada. Prior to his appointment, he headed the National Center of the Minor Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. In 2021, he received the honorary title of Honored Education Worker of Ukraine.
However, it later turned out that plagiarism was found in Lisovyi’s dissertation. Soon after, he won the Academic Dishonor anti-award in the Plagiarist of the Year category. Lisovyi admitted the fact of plagiarism and was deprived of his degree.
