Education ministry adopts a new Concept of literary education

The emotions aroused by the higher education bill were still high (on January 31, students picke­ted the Verkhovna Rada, demanding its cancellation) when Dmytro Tabachnyk signed a decree putting forth yet another idea. On December 25, the Mi-nistry of Education and Science of Ukraine adopted a new concept of language and literature studies at school, in order to “fully reveal the cultural and esthetic potential, and secure the educational function of literature.”

The reason behind the new concept is that “several different subjects secure li­terary education at school,” that there is no “coordination and continuity between various programs [curricula] and textbooks,” that “[literary] works introduced [in the curriculum] do not correspond to the students’ age-group specifics, which results in the lowering of their interest in reading,” that “a transfer to 11-grade instruction has taken place,” along with “quick progress in the computer technologies… which elbows out the book from the children’s interest,” and so on.

Under the new Concept of literary education, the curriculum of all “general educational establishments” must include “Ukrainian literature” and “world literature.” An integration of these li­terary courses is also possible. In schools with other languages of instruction, “Ukrainian literature” and an “integrated course in native and world li­te­rature” are compulsory subjects.

To this end, Russian literature is to play a special role, as a “creative literary achievement,” considering that Ukrainian literature has been formed “in close interrelationship” with it, over several hundred years; also in view of the place Russian literature occupies in the “gene­ral human system of spiritual and cultural values,” reads the ministry’s directive.

Needless to say, we hold Russian li­terature in esteem, considering that many of us have been raised on it (and many are still being raised), but the most important thing is the context and direction in which Dmytro Tabachnyk is leading education in Ukraine; his objectives and tasks. Considering all of his previous initiatives, these objectives are to the detriment of the Ukrainian language.

On January 28, Hanna Herman, deputy chairperson of the Presidential Administration, spoke on a television channel:

“The president will never support Tabachnyk’s concept of reforms in education. The Mohyla and Ostroh academies will never cease to be universities simply because under this concept Poplavsky’s university will be one, since there are many students there, while the Mohyla Academy will be a lyceum. The president will have his say in the matter. I can assure you that the president will make every effort to expand the higher school’s self-government and liberties. If I were in a position to appoint ministers, I would resign from my post and switch to journalist freelancing, just so as to have someone else as our education minister.”

Time will show which part of the above statement is good phraseology and which a promise to protect Ukrai­nian education (Tabachnyk promptly responded, saying it was high time Hanna Herman tendered her resignation). The big question is what a university student and/or lecturer can do, considering that even the deputy chairperson of the Presidential Administration isn’t in a position to influence Ukraine’s education policy.

COMMENTARY

Lilia HRYNEVYCH, coordinator, “A Learned Society” Project of the “Government of Changes”:

“I believe the new concept reflects the bilingual policy being lobbied for by the Ministry of Education and Science, personally by the minister. Ditto the pre­vious concept with Russian having a special status as a language of interethnic communication — which is contrary to the Constitution of Ukraine, which reads that Ukrainian is the official language; that there are the languages of the ethnic minorities, including Russian. And so the Concept of literary education is a sequel to the bilingual course. Previously, it was Ukrainian literature and world literature, with Russian literary masterpieces included in the notion of world literature. This concept singles out Russian literature and claims that Ukrainian literature evolved in close interrelationship with it. This is another attempt to grant Russian literature a special status. Another dangerous aspect is the concept’s regional approach, whereby 10-15 percent of the literary works [in the curriculum] should belong to a certain region of Ukraine. In my opinion, this will deepen the regionali­zation process and will not help the regions’ rapprochement. Our problem today is to help the east of Ukraine understand the historical and cultural specifics of the west, and vice versa. We must help our children in various regions understand one another instead of deepening the regional differences. Also, how will the numbers of Russian literary works and the role of Russian literature be increased in the Ukrainian schools? At the expense of which Ukrainian works?”