Educational Challenges in Odessa: New Approaches and Solutions
The «Educational Challenges in Odessa» forum brought together leaders and staff from educational institutions across the city, from preschool to higher education, alongside representatives from governmental bodies and local administrations.
On the agenda were pressing issues that require collective attention and collaboration to improve the quality of educational services.
Due to the ongoing war, the number of students in Odessa's schools has decreased. However, the burden on educators remains high, while state-set salaries are low. Currently, there are 474 vacant positions in educational institutions (down from over 600). The shortage of teachers in natural sciences is particularly pronounced.
Additional responsibilities that are unpaid significantly diminish the prestige of the teaching profession, especially the duties related to the organization of "Points of Resilience" and shelters.
The establishment of a municipal bonus of 3000 UAH, which amounts to nearly half a salary, has helped attract young professionals to schools. Yet, the demand for such specialists remains high.
The average age of teachers in Odessa is 46 years.
Recently, concerns have arisen regarding the quality of teacher preparation, particularly due to rapidly changing curriculum requirements.
During the forum, Odessa's mayor, Gennady Trukhanov, tasked the head of the Department of Education and Science, Olena Bujnevych, to work with financiers and the relevant parliamentary committee to develop a system of municipal bonuses for educational staff.
The mayor also instructed the establishment of a collaboration mechanism with the Institute of Physics at Odessa National University named after I. Mechnikov to utilize its resources for teaching natural science classes for high school students.
«Our priorities today are clear: army – education – healthcare», – summed up the mayor of Odessa, Gennady Trukhanov.
