Education ministry drops minimum size rule for online classes

The Ministry of Education and Science has canceled canceled the norms regarding the minimum occupancy of distance classes and requirements for the education of internally displaced children.

"Order No. 1112 has been canceled and some norms from Order No. 1115 (which were introduced by Order No. 1276) have been removed, regarding the minimum occupancy of distance classes and requirements for the education of internally displaced children (IDPs). These changes were made at the request of people's deputies and frontline communities," the ministry said in a statement.

At the same time, it is noted that a number of provisions from these orders that are important for communities and the safety of children are preserved.

"These norms will be officially enshrined in a separate regulatory document after consultations with the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada and deputies, and also approved in accordance with official procedures," the department added.

In particular, according to the changes: the requirements for filling distance classes are the same as for full-time and mixed classes, so according to the law "On Complete General Secondary Education," a class can be opened with at least five students; schools can open distance learning classes regardless of the presence of a full line of parallels; IDP children can continue distance learning in their schools regardless of their place of residence.

The norms remain unchanged, according to which: full-time and mixed forms of education (alternating online and face-to-face classes) are possible only if there is shelter in the educational institution or no more than 500 meters from it. Educational institutions working with children in temporarily occupied territories can continue to function even if it is impossible to open a single class there (Teachers of such institutions teach children in temporarily occupied territories (TOT) under pedagogical patronage) and children who are abroad will continue to be given the opportunity to study according to the full program in distance classes, as well as according to the shortened one - the Ukrainian studies component. For children in TOT, the opportunity to study in a distance classroom or under pedagogical patronage has been preserved - depending on the security situation.