Basic secondary education lasts for 5 years – from grades 5 to 9. It is provided by gymnasiums.

A gymnasium can be a separate institution or can be divided into primary school and preschool institution. But since school education is undergoing a gradual and lengthy process of reforming, basic secondary education can now be obtained at a school that provides education at all three levels of education. The transition period will last until 2027.

From September 2022, students of the New Ukrainian School (according to the 12-year program) will move to the 5th grade, therefore, from the 2022/2023 academic year basic secondary education, like primary school, will be divided into two cycles:

• adaptive (grades 5-6);
• basic subject training (grades 7-9).

After the 9th grade, students have the right to enter institutions of professional (vocational and technical) education or professional pre-higher education, where they will receive specialized secondary education in parallel with obtaining a profession.

Please find below examples of typical curriculums.

Assessment

Assessment in grades 5-9 is carried out using a 12-point grading system and is:

• continuous;
• end-of-topic – based on all types of educational activities that were assessed during the study of the topic (without conducting a separate end-of-topic assessment);
• end-of-term – based on end-of-topic assessments, taking into account the dynamics of the student’s academic achievements in the subject during the academic term, the importance of the topic, the duration of its study, the complexity of the content, etc.;
• annual – based on end-of-term grades.

It should be noted that in the 2021/2022 academic year the current 5th graders did not receive grades in favour of the formative assessment. This is due to the testing of students’ transition from the 11-year school curriculum to the 12-year New Ukrainian School and the corresponding adaptation cycle of education.

Already at the level of basic secondary education students can receive specialized education in the following areas:

• artistic,
• sports,
• military and
• science education.

After completing a certain level of education, in addition to the state final examination, students must pass examinations in the academic subjects defined by the relevant standard of specialized education.

Graduates of the 9th grade pass the state final examination at school, however, the reform foresees that in the future this form of control will take place in the form of an external independent assessment.

Due to russia’s war against Ukraine, the state final examination in the 2021/2022 academic year was cancelled by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

📚Useful resources:

👉 All-Ukrainian online school 

A platform for distance and mixed learning of students of grades 5-11 and methodological support of teachers.