Transforming Physical Education in Ukraine: New Approaches and Challenges

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has initiated an open expert dialogue regarding the transformation of physical education. This event was held in collaboration with the Small Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, JuniorS, UNIT.City, and the NGO «Education 360» as part of the «Education for Life» policy, which supports the New Ukrainian School reform. The ministry gathered professionals to discuss new approaches to teaching physical culture.

The event was opened by Nadia Kuzmychova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, who emphasized the need to adapt physical education to new realities such as full-scale war and the aftermath of the pandemic. She highlighted that the outcomes of this meeting will be considered in the concepts for the educational field of «Physical Culture», scheduled for publication in spring 2025. The pilot implementation of the updated education content will begin in the fall of 2025 for fifth-grade classes across three educational fields: arts, technology, and natural sciences. Additionally, as part of this policy, workshops, studios, and laboratories for basic schools will be updated.

The program included two panel discussions. The first discussion, on the topic of “The Purpose of Physical Education”, was moderated by Oleksandr Pedan, who conducted a Q&A session with teachers featuring Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Nadia Kuzmychova and Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Serhiy Tymofiev.

“Physical education in an educational institution is not just a lesson, but the foundation of a healthy future. It should be about accessibility, not just in terms of quantity, but in making every student fall in love with movement. Not everyone may meet standards due to individual characteristics, but education must account for individuality, revealing each child's strengths, which aligns perfectly with the spirit of the New Ukrainian School reform. When we talk about physical education, we are discussing the development of a person who values their health and understands their body,” emphasized Nadia Kuzmychova.

The second panel discussion focused on the topic of “The Graduate's Portrait: How Should Physical Education Prepare Children for Life in a Changing World?”. The discussion included:

• Kostiantyn Yevtushenko — Managing Partner at Unit.city;
• Oleksandr Sekirin — Founder of the «All Stars» Dance School;
• Maria Pavlichuk — Co-founder of the NGO «JuniorS».

Experts stressed the importance of a practical approach to physical education, enabling students to gain knowledge on staying active in today's world, forming lifelong healthy habits, and discovering activities or sports that inspire them.

Following the panel discussions, participants formed groups to work on specific solutions for updating physical education and shared their professional experiences.

The educational consultation process in physical education is part of a broader initiative involving surveys of educators, parents, and students. The Ministry plans to conduct several more such meetings across all educational fields, which can be joined via the website educationforlife.mon.gov.ua in the section “Who is it for?”.