who can learn from them

In special classes, a student assistant will be introduced, who will help him integrate into the team

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From September 1, 2025, new special classes for students with special educational needs will be created in Ukrainian schools.

The relevant procedure was registered in the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, reported Yevgenia Smirnova, Deputy Minister of Education for Early Preschool Education and Inclusion.

It will replace the previous approach to the creation and operation of special classes, which is provided by order MES No. 1224 of 2010.

“The new legislation is real progress on the way to inclusive education. It not only establishes the mechanisms for organizing special classes in general secondary education institutions, but also improves learning conditions for children with different educational needs, taking into account their individual characteristics.”– the deputy minister explains the purpose of implementing the new order.

We will remind, in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “About education”the category of students with special educational needs includes those children who need additional permanent or temporary support during the educational process.

According to Smirnova, we are talking about schoolchildren with disorders autistic spectrumdevelopmental delay, hearing or vision impairments.

To implement the initiative in schools, they plan to:

• to adapt the educational environment;
• carry out personnel reinforcement;
• to form appropriate technical support;
• provide specially designed training programs.

In a comment for “UP. Life”, Yevgenia Smirnova explained that the new approach will involve the formation of special classes depending on the types of special educational needs.

In Appendix 4 to resolutions Cabinet No. 765 distinguishes the following categories of special educational difficulties:

• intellectual: limitation of memory, attention, thinking, speech, motivation, ability to reason, ability to draw conclusions, produce thoughts, etc.;
• functional: limitation of auditory, visual, locomotor, speech function;
• physical: restriction of functioning of organs and limbs;
• educational: limitations or peculiarities of writing, mathematical operations, etc.;
• socio-adaptive and socio-cultural: may consist in the presence of barriers to adaptation in the social environment, building relationships, perception of norms and values, forms of interaction.

The needs of these categories, depending on the degree of manifestation, are related to the level of support that the child needs. Aid to the student is determined from 1when difficulties are isolated and insignificant, to 5when they have the most severe degree of manifestation.

Evgenia Smirnova explains that learning in a special class will take place in the same way as the educational process is organized in special schools or educational rehabilitation centers.

Special classes will be characterized by:

• small capacity;
• training in special programs;
• use of special teaching aids, textbooks and manuals;
• presence of special education teachers.

According to the new order, teachers will to form individual programs curriculum for students with special educational needs. Thanks to this, each child will be able to acquire knowledge and skills according to a program that will correspond to his abilities and pace of learning.

However, the material will be taught according to the common curriculum for all students of the class.

Primary special classes, as well as classes for students with support levels 4 and 5, will be open teacher assistants.

They will also be able to stay in these classes student assistants – social workers, parents or persons authorized by them. Their task will be to help in adaptation to the educational process and integration into the team.

It will also be created in schools team of psychological and pedagogical supportwhich will monitor the academic success and development of such students.

In addition, they will create in special classes special conditions taking into account the needs of schoolchildren with special educational needs. In particular, Ukrainian will be used in the classrooms sign language and braille.

According to her, new special classes will be created in secondary education institutions at the place of residence of a child with special educational needs.

Decisions on their opening will be made by school founders or local self-government bodies if:

• children with the same category of educational needs;
• material and technical base;
• personnel support.

The changes will take effect from the beginning of the new school year – September 1, 2025, so that secondary education institutions have enough time to prepare for the changes.

“In the 2024/2025 school year, educational institutions will continue to be guided by the current Regulation on special classes, approved back in 2010, but the new rules promise to significantly improve the quality and effectiveness of education for children with special educational needs.” Yevgenia Smirnova remarked.

As a reminder, within the main priorities for the 2024/2025 academic year, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine highlighted direction “Education for everyone”. The department plans to continue developing the “School of Superheroes” – six more educational centers will appear within the project.

In addition, there will be a training and rehabilitation program for people who lost their sight as a result of the war.