Higher education funding reform: some students will be given a minimum wage stipend

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Verkhovna Rada in the first reading supported the Government’s initiative on reforming the higher education financing system. The document, in particular, provides that students of some specialties who will study under the state order will receive a stipend in the amount of the minimum salary.

About this told People’s Deputy, Chairman of the Committee on Education, Science and Innovation Serhii Babak.

According to him, the draft law changes the entire system of state procurement.

“It is important that the amount of money for the training of specialists does not change. However, the state will order those professions in which it either pays full wages, for example, teachers, doctors, or is a monopoly in providing jobs, for example, Ukrzaliznytsia, nuclear power etc”, – the deputy explained.

The third group of specialties, in which students will study with funds from the state budget, are those needed for national security and defense, or areas in short supply.

“For example, specific engineering specialties, Ukrainian studies and similar inconspicuous things that are actually fundamental for the state. That is, state procurement will be reoriented to the needs of the state.” – explained the politician.

Such a change also aims to solve the problem of employment of budget students, he claims.

“For example, we order about 12,500 state-ordered teachers every year, but only 18-19% of them enter the profession. This is a tragedy, because the state spends a lot of money on training on such a scale.” – says the people’s deputy.

The reform of the higher education financing system provides that students who will study under the state contract will receive a guaranteed job after completing higher education.

“It is important that even after the second year, students understand that they continue to study on a budget, the state gives them a stipend in the amount of the minimum salary, so that the children do not think about additional earningsand concentrated on the profession”, – stressed the deputy.

We will remind, in MES expect, that the new higher education financing system will start working already in September 2024. The changes will only apply to new entrants and will not apply to students who have previously enrolled.