Representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine headed by Minister Lilia Grinevich answered the questions of the Venice Commission experts. They concerned different approaches to teaching children from different minorities, terms and instruments for implementing the language clause of the Law "On Education". The meeting was held today, October 31, 2017, in the building of the Ministry of Education and Science, the press service of the ministry.

Experts apprehended the proposed approach with concern, when for each national minority the conditions for the implementation of an article.

Lilia Grinevich explained that the education in schools of each of the minorities has its needs, in order to get the corresponding quality on the way out. In particular, it was a question of the fact that Polish and Bulgarian languages ??belong to the Slavic group, so one approach is needed here, and Hungarian and Romanian are the languages ??of the other group, and the approach should be already different.

"You know, there is a joke about how a hare, a bird and a turtle were given the task for the same time to run a certain distance. On this example it is obvious that a unified approach for all is a false path. Our goal is to bring all Ukrainian children to a certain level of mastering the Ukrainian language at the end of general secondary education, taking into account the needs of this or that group, "noted Lilia Grinevich.

Tools were also discussed that would allow for a qualitative implementation of the article.

"Now we are focused on the development of new programs, textbooks and training courses for teachers in schools with the language of instruction of national minorities," the minister said..

She added that in these processes Ukraine will actively involve representatives of its minorities and teachers from schools who work with those children for whom the state language is not the mother language.

The experts thanked for the exhaustive information about the necessity of introducing Article 7 of the Law "On Education", which takes into account all aspects - from historical premises to legal grounds.

"Now I feel that we were able to arm the experts of the Venice Commission with real arguments regarding Article 7 of the new Law" On Education ", noted the Minister.

Experts of the Venice Commission are in Ukraine from October 30 to October 31. During this time they meet with representatives of national minorities in Ukraine, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education of Ukraine and people's deputies.

We remind you that on November 1, Lilia Grinevich will be on a working trip to Odessa, where she will meet with the Minister of Education and Science of Bulgaria Kasimir Valchev.