Ukraine's language policy

What is it about?

Among the most important features of Ukraine in the last quarter of this century are the sharp decline in the population and the so-called language problem, which domestic policy regards as the most unsuccessful project of state building. On 5 September 2017, the Supreme Council (Verkhovna Rada) of Ukraine accepted a new education law: The Law of Ukraine “On Education” № 2145-VIII. On September 25, 2017 the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko signed it, which entered into force three days later. Article 7 of the new law radically transforms the education system of Ukraine. The law contains many positive provisions. However, according to the new education law, the language of the educational process in the educational institutions is the state language. The law guarantees to have the right to study in the mother tongue in addition to the state language to persons belonging to the national minorities only in communal educational institutions. This option is only allowed in pre-school and elementary school levels (1-4 classes). In the 5-12 classes (secondary education) and in vocational or higher education the mother tongue education of minorities ceases. Minority languages can only be taught as a subject. The new education law also abolishes schools with the languages of instruction of national minorities. The rights as defined above can only be implemented in separate classes (groups) within institutions educating in Ukrainian. The language of education is a tool in the hands of the authorities for the ukrainization of society.

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