Ukrainian high school students will prepare to defend Ukraine without drill
6 December 15:28
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the Procedure for conducting initial general military training, which aims to form primary general military knowledge and special competencies in defense awareness among students. This was announced by the government’s representative in the Verkhovna Rada, Taras Melnychuk, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
The procedure stipulates that the initial training is provided to citizens of Ukraine, regardless of gender, who receive specialized secondary education in general secondary, vocational, specialized, professional higher education institutions of all forms of ownership.
Initial military training is provided through the teaching of the subject “Defense of Ukraine”.
Legal basis for initial military training
on June 20, 2024, the Law “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Improving the System of Preparation of Citizens of Ukraine for Military Service” came into force.
As noted by YURLIGA, this law specifies that the preparation of Ukrainian citizens for military service includes
– national-patriotic and military-patriotic education,
– initial general military training,
– basic general military training,
– training in military lyceums and lyceums with enhanced military and physical training, preparation for admission to institutions of professional higher military education,
– higher military educational institutions and military educational units of higher education institutions,
– military training in higher education institutions under the reserve officer training program.
The preparation of Ukrainian citizens for military service also includes physical training, medical and health care, improvement of the level of educational training, and study of the state language.
As for the initial general military training, it is implemented at the third level of complete general secondary education and is conducted in general secondary, vocational (vocational-technical), and professional higher education institutions, through the teaching of the subject “Defense of Ukraine” and the implementation of measures aimed at military-patriotic education.
What are the features of the updated system of preparation for military service?
The law combines two concepts – pre-conscription and initial general military training – that contradict each other. Thus, the conflict is eliminated, – explains the initiator of the bill, member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science and Innovation Roman Hryshchuk, as quoted by YURLIGA.
The law also updates the bylaws that have so far separated girls and boys in the course of studying the subject “Defense of Ukraine” and limited the education of women in higher education institutions who want to teach the subject.
Other key changes envisaged by the document:
– A modular teaching system is being introduced. Each module is a separate important topic: first aid, civil defense, information security.
– Outdated topics such as drill training are being removed. There is a greater emphasis on understanding the importance of defending one’s country and learning new technologies used in modern warfare.
– There is an opportunity to involve veterans, as well as public and veteran organizations, in teaching the subject or individual modules.
Roman Hryshchuk also said that “the government has allocated UAH 1.74 billion to upgrade the ‘Defense of Ukraine’ centers, purchase equipment and interactive shooting ranges, and improve the skills of teachers.”
