Uman scandal and $130 million in “mistakes”: what is happening around the Ministry of Education and Science
17 December 15:18
Last week, a draft resolution on the dismissal of Education Minister Oksen Lisovyi appeared . And only recently, an explanatory note was published, stating why MPs are going to dismiss the current minister. In fact, they have three main claims: managerial inefficiency and possible corruption in the reform of higher education; irregularities in financial reporting; and unjustified spending of budget funds. Details were found out by
The Verkhovna Rada has registered a draft resolution to dismiss Oksen Lisovyi from the post of Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine. This was announced by MP Anton Yatsenko during a speech in the Verkhovna Rada.
“I am forced to address you because of the situation that has developed in the field of education today. Unfortunately, in my opinion, Minister of Education Oksen Lisovyi has taken an openly anti-popular position and does not cancel the criminal order to merge Uman Pedagogical University and the University of Horticulture… Having also read the conclusion of the Accounting Chamber on the activities of the Ministry of Education, I believe that it is time for Mr. Lisovyi to resign,” the politician said.
Violations and abuses in the Ministry of Education and Science
As stated in the explanatory note, circumstances have been established that indicate the possible presence of a corruption component:
- Insufficient training and managerial inefficiency of the Ministry of Education.
In particular, the situation around the reorganization of the Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University by merging the said higher education institution with the Uman National University of Horticulture in accordance with the Cabinet of Ministers’ Decree No. 565-p of June 11, 2025, caused a huge public outcry among residents of Cherkasy region.
In fact, under the guise of reorganizing the university, a corrupt scheme is being prepared for the implementation of the seizure of state-owned property and land plots.
In particular, according to available information, on February 17, 2025, at about 15:00, a meeting was held at the Bistro Pekar’s restaurant near Uman, Cherkasy region, with the participation of Mykhailo Vinnytskyi, who at that time held the position of Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science and Innovation Serhii Babak, local businessman Andrii Dykun and Olena Yaroshynska, Director of the private institution Ukrainian Agrarian Lyceum, whose actual owner is Andrii Dykun. According to available information, the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the reorganization of Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, namely, to establish control over the processes of merger and further work of the newly created university, the informal influence of local businessman Andrii Dykun on the activities of the said university, in particular, the disposal of property for his own selfish purposes, as well as the appointment of “his man” – Olena Yaroshynska, director of the Uman National University of Horticulture – as rector of the Uman National University of Horticulture.
After the pedagogical university merged with the national university, massive dismissals of teachers and deans began and people who did not meet the licensing requirements were appointed in their place.
2) Irregularities in the financial statements of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine on the loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
The Accounting Chamber found errors in the Ministry of Education and Science’s reporting on the results of using the IBRD loan to improve higher education. The reports incorrectly reflected USD 130.5 million and gaps in the operational accounting manual. These and other reporting deficiencies were identified by the Accounting Chamber in its 2023 audit of the special purpose financial statements under the project “Improving Higher Education in Ukraine for Results”. The project is supported by a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The conclusion on the results of the control measure, which was carried out in accordance with the International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI), was approved at the meeting on 06.06.2024.
3) Systematic cases of media coverage of unjustified expenditures of budget funds.
In particular, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine concluded agreements for printing textbooks for the 8th grade worth more than UAH 1.06 billion without open bidding. The agreements, signed on May 7-21, raise questions about the transparency and appropriateness of the expenditures. The main suppliers were Ranok Publishing House LLC (UAH 242.34 million), Genesis LLC (UAH 235.63 million), and Aston Publishing House LLC (UAH 103.08 million).
Pressure on the Minister?
On the one hand, MPs have the full right to dismiss ministers, as the minister is dismissed by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in accordance with paragraph 12 of part one of Article 85 of the Constitution of Ukraine. But on the other hand, will there be a majority in the parliament to do so?
After all, Oksen Lisovyi , who was appointed Minister of Education and Science on March 21, 2023 , has been on the verge of dismissal more than once. Immediately after his appointment, he got into a scandal with his dissertation due to plagiarism. In June 2023, the minister gave up his academic degree, which helped him stay in the ministerial chair.
In the spring of 2023, he was not dismissed from his post (at the initiative of MPs from the Servants of the People) due to his unsatisfactory performance. MP Vitalii Bezghin said the following about Lisovyi at the time: “A good guy is not a profession” and said that he was called “on the carpet”. In his comments, he added that Lisovyi had a “complete unwillingness to do his job.” But then Lisovoy was left in place, allegedly because Mikhail Fedorov “stepped in front of the president for him .”
Oksen held on to his seat even after Prime Minister Shmyhal left. However, MP Zheleznyak predicted that he would not be in Svyrydenko’s new cabinet. Today, this is another attempt to dismiss the minister, but it is not certain that it will be successful. This is at least the opinion of political analyst Oleksandr Paliy , who calls the initiative to dismiss the minister “political fuss.”
“Despite the claims made against the minister, higher education institutions will still have to be reorganized, because many children have gone abroad and we are facing a demographic crisis. In other words, we will still have to put higher education institutions in order to reduce their administrative staff. As for the other points listed in the draft resolution (on dismissal – ed.), they should be investigated by law enforcement agencies. So far, it seems that they are looking for a reason to dismiss the minister. If there are no criminal cases, then he cannot be dismissed. It looks like a political fuss,” Oleksandr Paliy said in a commentary
. [Kommersant]
As the political scientist emphasizes, since a major reorganization of higher education is ahead, there will be a lot of pressure on the minister and the ministry. And given that this plenary week is the last of the year, no one will consider dismissing the minister, and next year it will be forgotten, Paliy predicts.
According to the sources of the publication
The author: Alla Dunina
