“In Ukraine, the number of graduates drops by 20–30 thousand every year, and the number of first-graders is catastrophically falling,” – says the Ministry of Education

In Ukraine, the number of first-graders is rapidly decreasing, and this trend is only strengthening.

The Ministry of Education and Science has acknowledged that demographic challenges are becoming a serious test for the education system. However, the state is already working to prepare for this new reality.

As stated by Deputy Minister of Education Yevhen Kudriavets during the conference “Education of the New Ukraine,” infrastructure is one of the main tools for overcoming these challenges.

Particularly alarming data was shared by Kudriavets about the number of first-graders: in 2024, compared to 2021, their number decreased by 31%. Projections indicate that by 2029, this figure will decrease by another 30%. The educational infrastructure must respond to these changes but also be prepared for growth after the war.

Earlier, Minister of Education Oksen Lisovyi acknowledged that some Ukrainian school graduates leave the country after completing the 11th grade, but he asserted that this process is not yet widespread.