No one to teach: Ukrainian education faces yet another challenge.

Since the onset of the full-scale war, Ukraine has witnessed a significant decrease in the number of students in schools, and this trend is noticeably impacting the education system as a whole. According to data from the Ministry of Education, over the past year, the number of schoolchildren has dropped by 300,000, while the number of teachers has decreased by 10,000.

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Despite these figures, mass layoffs of teachers are not anticipated; however, the education sector is facing significant challenges that could affect the accessibility and quality of education in the country.

In particular, Education Minister Oksen Lisovyi reported that schools are experiencing a staffing shortage. Even amid the declining student population, there is an urgent need for educators, especially in natural sciences, foreign languages, and computer science. Migration, natural attrition of retired teachers, and the transition of teachers to other sectors due to inadequate pay levels are causing a critical decrease in the number of teachers in some regions.

According to Lesnyi, the reduction in student numbers is attributed not only to migration but also to the temporary absence of students due to families relocating to safer areas within Ukraine or abroad. This creates an additional issue—optimizing the school network. The idea of optimization involves a more efficient allocation of resources among educational institutions: schools with fewer students may be reorganized, and the educational process may be reassessed.

The issue of staffing shortages is becoming even more acute against the backdrop of declining teacher numbers. According to ministry data, many older teachers are retiring, which is a natural process. At the same time, young professionals are reluctant to choose teaching careers due to low salaries, limited opportunities for career advancement, and challenging working conditions. Furthermore, many teachers are leaving the profession to work abroad or retraining for better-paying jobs in other fields.

The situation is particularly problematic for teachers specializing in subjects like mathematics, English, and computer science. According to Lesnyi, in some regions, there are virtually no teachers in these specialties, forcing schools to hire specialists in other subjects or seek alternative ways to fill teaching gaps. In some cases, teachers have to instruct multiple subjects simultaneously, which negatively impacts the quality of the educational process.

The Ministry of Education and the government are exploring several avenues to address staffing issues in schools. The primary focus is on increasing salaries for teachers, especially for those teaching in-demand subjects. However, discussions regarding significant salary increases are still ongoing, and financial resources are limited.

Another option is to create support programs for young teachers to attract them to work in schools. This may include special grants, housing programs, or additional incentives for teachers willing to work in rural areas or regions with low populations. The Ministry also plans to improve the training and retraining system for educators to enhance their qualifications and adapt them to new challenges faced by schools.