The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine announced changes to the rules for admission to graduate school in 2024. The reason for these changes was the rapid increase in the number of men of military age seeking to enroll in graduate school.
This was announced by the Minister of Education and Science Oksen Lesnoy.
Over the past two years, the number of such applicants has increased significantly, raising suspicions of bogus training.
“It is no secret that in the last two years the number of male students of military age who suddenly remembered that they need a second or third higher education, graduate school or doctorate has rapidly increased. The thirst for knowledge is wonderful. Fake learning is not. Therefore, we are changing the rules for admission to graduate school in 2024,” Lesnoy wrote.
According to him, in order to ensure the quality of education and reduce the number of draft dodgers, it will be possible to enter into a contract for graduate school only through correspondence or evening courses, which do not give the right to a deferment from conscription. At the same time, priority will be given to full-time education, and the number of budget places will be increased from 3,200 to 7,000, so as not to cut off the possibility of admission for real, motivated and capable students.
It is reported that by the beginning of a full-scale war, about 7-8 thousand people were entering graduate school annually. In 2024, 246,189 people registered to compile the UEE, of which 79% were men. Almost half of them, namely 91,561 people of military age, are applying for admission to graduate school, which is a record number.
“I would like one day for science to become so popular in Ukraine. We are taking steps in this direction. But now such figures look more like an anomaly. (…) The quality of education and the values that are cherished in this system matter. It is forbidden. live in a world of double standards,” he noted.
Lesnoy added that the high number of graduate school applications is a concern because bogus education harms the quality of education, the economy and national security.
The Ministry calls on citizens to report cases of fictitious training to law enforcement agencies.
Lists of students expelled from universities will be transferred to the TCC
We would like to add that, due to mobilization, starting from 2022, Ukrainian universities are recording a rapid increase in those wishing to enroll in graduate school. 67% of Ukrainians who entered graduate school in 2022-2023 are military men over 30 years old.
However, the rectors of higher educational institutions in Volyn stated that there is a clear agreement with the regional TCC and SP and they will be provided with lists of expelled persons who have not fulfilled the conditions for enrollment.
“Mobilization remains one of the most difficult and at the same time most important tasks being worked on in our country. The defenders and defenders at the front need reinforcement and respite, so it is necessary to carry out the tasks set by the General Staff. Consequently, one of the issues that was studied and analyzed during the regular meeting of the Regional Defense Council was the entry of those liable for military service into higher education institutions in order to receive a deferment from mobilization,” wrote the head of the Volyn Regional Military Administration, Yuriy Pogulyayko.
Also, as noted in the OVA, rectors of higher educational institutions of Volyn were involved in the discussion, who reported on the conditions for admission and outlined statistics on the number of students studying at universities.
“In addition, they assured that there is a clear agreement with the regional TCC and SP that they will provide lists of expelled persons who have not fulfilled the conditions for enrollment. At the same time, based on the results of the meeting of the Regional Defense Council, I instructed the heads of the relevant security forces to keep this under control and make it impossible to evade mobilization through studying at universities,” the head of the OVA emphasized.
