Educational catastrophe in Ukraine: How war and bureaucracy expel teachers from schools

The most vacancies are English teachers - more than 267 rates at the end of the school year, computer science - about 149 and mathematics - almost 131. The shortage also touches other disciplines: Ukrainian language and literature - about 112 vacancies, physical culture - 100, history - 73. Informatics and mathematics. Experts predict the deterioration of the situation in Ukraine: by 2030, more than 40% of teachers can leave their profession.

The main reason is the systemic disregard for mental work, which covers not only teachers, but also doctors, scientists and other intellectuals. Low salaries, bureaucracy, stress and lack of prestige are scared by young people. Without urgent reforms - increased payment, reduction of load, motivational programs - education risks to collapse.

The expert on education of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future Mykola Skiba notes that the personnel crisis in Ukrainian education lasts more than 10 years and has intensified with the beginning of a full -scale invasion. The departure of part of the population abroad has reduced the recruitment to pedagogical universities, and graduates of these institutions often choose to work in schools only as a spare option, if they do not find a place in offices or companies.

In Ukraine, teachers deficiency is exacerbated by a mix of stress, low income and excessive requirements for specialists. Education reform, started in 2018, brings point changes - upgrading of programs, school design, workflow. But at the same time it adds a load for teachers, which causes additional stress. Such changes, according to Skibi, are designed to squeeze those who do not like education, but in practice often go ambitious and talented, without standing triple pressure.

The reasons for the complex of problems, according to Skiba, will be rooted in low wages, which in the rating of the industry occupies the latest positions, compared to the average level in the market. Also, education is always a stress field for humans. It is a constant interaction with students, publicity, pressure from the toxic style of directors or outdated approaches.

Bureaucracy is also added - magazines, notebooks, paper work, which according to polls is in the first place among the reasons for the release of teachers. The following are salaries, prestige of the profession and other factors. These signals, the expert adds, require systematic work, because the problem has been accumulated for years.

"The situation is not unique for Ukraine: in EU countries, the profession of educator is also not in the top for pay and prestige, but there are minimal standards of salaries that keep a decent standard of living of teachers. In the leaders in the ratings of education there are Scandinavian countries - Finland, Sweden. Teachers go to work fans of development, where the profession becomes a platform for self -realization.

According to Sky, to solve the problem, first, it is necessary to pay attention to the psychological state of teachers. In particular, it is necessary to maintain their mental well -being, given their heavy load. The expert also calls for point reforms in education, namely a decrease in bureaucracy due to dody. Electronic magazines and automated reports will make time for teachers' creativity.

We will remind that the Government of Ukraine approved the project of the state budget for 2026, having provided for education record expenditures - more than UAH 265 billion, which is 66. 5 billion more than last year. In particular, the budget project has a significant increase in teachers' salaries. According to Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, teachers will receive a total of 50% more during the year: the increase will be in stages-30% from January 1 and an additional 20%.