National standardized tests may allow students to take the exams in a national minority language

The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education has recommended that parliament support Bill No. 16119 on the educational rights of national minorities and indigenous peoples. The bill, in particular, proposes to enshrine in law the right to take the National Multidisciplinary Test (NMT) in the language of a national minority. At the same time, there are no plans to change the status of the Ukrainian language in education or in the state.

 

The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation has recommended that lawmakers adopt Draft Law No. 16119 in principle and as a whole. The bill concerns the educational rights of national minorities and indigenous peoples. Parliamentary officials note that the bill is the result of several years of negotiations with representatives of various national minorities. Separate consultations were held with Hungary.

One of the main proposals concerns the use of national minority languages in educational institutions. However, the authors of the bill do not propose changing the status of the Ukrainian language.

Ukrainian will remain the official language in the education system. At the same time, they aim to provide representatives of national minorities with more opportunities to use their native language in situations not directly related to instruction. For example, it will be possible to communicate in one’s native language during breaks, parent-teacher conferences, and other extracurricular activities.

Schools for national minorities may be established

The bill also provides for the possibility of establishing separate schools with the status of an educational institution for a national minority or indigenous people. It is proposed that such a school be defined as an institution in which at least half of the students plus one child belong to the relevant national minority.

Separate rules may also apply to regular schools. If a school has at least one class with students from national minorities, additional language rights may be granted to that class.

In particular, educational documents may be duplicated in the language of the relevant national minority. Upon request, schools will also be permitted to maintain certain internal documentation in that language. These are specifically additional options. Ukrainian remains the primary language of instruction in accordance with current legislation.

What Will Happen with the National Multidisciplinary Test (NMT)

A separate provision concerns the National Multidisciplinary Test (NMT). The bill proposes to explicitly provide for the possibility of taking the NMT in the language of the relevant national minority. This possibility already exists; it was established several years ago through subordinate regulatory acts. Now, the intention is to enshrine it directly in the law.

In other words, for NMT participants, this will not necessarily mean the introduction of an entirely new opportunity. The main change is that they want to clearly stipulate this right at the level of the law itself. At the same time, the bill is not yet law. It must first be considered by the Verkhovna Rada. Only after the new provisions are adopted and enter into force will they become legally binding.

Thus, the proposed changes are intended to expand opportunities for members of national minorities in the field of education without altering the status of the Ukrainian language as the state language.