Kyiv schools demonstrate a low level of Ukrainian language usage, – study

Kyiv schools demonstrate a low level of Ukrainian language usage, – study

In the capital’s schools, a worrying trend is observed - children are increasingly less likely to communicate in Ukrainian. Overall, Kyiv demonstrates a significant decline in the use of the Ukrainian language in the educational process. These findings were revealed by a monitoring study on the observance of language legislation in general secondary education institutions.

This is reported by Informator.

In Kyiv, one of the worst rates of compliance with language legislation among all regions of Ukraine has been recorded. As stated by the Secretariat of the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, the situation in the capital’s educational institutions is described as "threatening." According to Serhiy Syrotenko, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, based on the monitoring results, Kyiv can be classified as one of the Russified regions of Ukraine.

According to a study conducted by the State Service for Education Quality together with the Language Ombudsman, 24% of Kyiv teachers violate the language law during lessons by using a non-state language. Another 40% switch to Russian during breaks. For comparison, the national average is 14% and 21%, respectively.

Students also fail to comply with the requirements: 66% of Kyiv schoolchildren communicate in Russian during classes, and 82% do so during breaks. Only 18% reported using exclusively Ukrainian. According to Serhiy Syrotenko, the younger generation in Kyiv uses the Russian language more frequently than their parents, which is a result of the systemic influence of the aggressor country through the internet and social media.

The Ombudsman’s Secretariat demands the adoption of draft law No. 13072, which should provide a clear definition of the language environment in schools and allow influence not only on teachers but also on students and parents. It is also proposed to strengthen control and organize systematic educational work.

“The school principal bears personal responsibility for compliance with the language law. They must not only ensure teaching in Ukrainian but also monitor this daily,” emphasized Serhiy Syrotenko.