Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has firmly stated that there will be no option for mathematics to become an elective subject in the National Multi-Subject Test (NMT) next year. She made these remarks during the “New Ukraine Education 2.0” conference in Kyiv, responding to inquiries about potential changes to the exam format.
“There is no possibility to do this. I believe we need to speak openly with one another… I don’t think that next year, or in the following years, the structure will change,” Svyrydenko said.
She expressed her bewilderment at the ongoing discussions regarding making math non-mandatory, arguing that such a decision could negatively impact both prospective students and the state. “You need to build a better Ukraine for living and doing business. For this, you need abilities, knowledge, and skills. Mathematics lays the foundation for all of this,” she added.
In a related development, Yulia Gryshyna, head of the Higher Education Subcommittee of the Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation, announced via Facebook that a legislative proposal has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada to alter the NMT format starting in 2027.
This proposal aims to reduce the number of mandatory subjects to just the Ukrainian language and the history of Ukraine, allowing students to choose mathematics as an additional subject.
Education Minister Oksen Lisovyi reiterated that mathematics will remain a compulsory subject in the NMT, emphasizing that the exam is designed to assess fundamental skills such as reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Background on the NMT
The National Multi-Subject Test was introduced by the Ministry of Education and Science in 2022 as a replacement for the External Independent Evaluation (ZNO) due to Russia’s full-scale invasion. The change aimed to simplify the admission process for students.
Instead of multiple tests conducted on separate days using paper forms, students have been taking a computer-based test that combines several subjects over a single day. The NMT can also be completed abroad.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has ruled out the possibility of making mathematics an elective subject in the National Multi-Subject Test, emphasizing its importance for foundational skills. Meanwhile, a legislative proposal aims to modify the exam format by 2027, potentially reducing mandatory subjects.
Source: Interfax-Ukraine