The Ukrainian government plans to eliminate traditional 10th and 11th grades and replace them with a three-year profile school system [1].
This overhaul shifts the national education model toward specialized trajectories, allowing students to choose between academic lyceums and professional colleges. The move aims to align the country's schooling with European standards and provide students with more tailored educational paths [1].
Under the new system, the total length of compulsory schooling will extend to 12 years [1]. The reform is scheduled to begin operating for grades 10 through 12 in 2027 [2].
Ministry of Education officials, with input from MP Serhiy Koleboshyn and education expert Zoya Litvyn, are overseeing the transition [1, 2]. The profile schools are designed to replace the existing two-year senior secondary structure with a three-year model that emphasizes either academic or vocational training [1].
While the government said the traditional 10th and 11th grades are disappearing, some reports suggest the reform will simply operate across grades 10 through 12 starting in 2027 [1, 2]. This indicates a shift in how those years are structured rather than a total removal of the grade levels themselves.
By introducing these specialized pathways, the state intends to give students a greater choice in their professional trajectories before they enter higher education or the workforce [1]. The transition involves a reorganization of how senior secondary students are grouped, and taught, across the national system [1, 2].
“The total length of schooling will be 12 years [1].”
This reform represents a systemic shift from a general secondary education model to a differentiated one. By extending compulsory education to 12 years and introducing profile schools, Ukraine is attempting to reduce the gap between secondary school and professional employment or specialized university study, mirroring the educational structures found in many European Union member states.
