HEALTH AND SAFETY EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS OF UKRAINE AND ITS CHANGES AS A RESULT OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION Cover Image

HEALTH AND SAFETY EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS OF UKRAINE AND ITS CHANGES AS A RESULT OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION
HEALTH AND SAFETY EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS OF UKRAINE AND ITS CHANGES AS A RESULT OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION

Author(s): Vasyl Zaplatynskyi
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Social Sciences, Education, Sociology, Security and defense, Health and medicine and law, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: Institute for National and International Security
Keywords: education in Ukraine; secondary school education; health education; security education; war in Ukraine

Summary/Abstract: The article presents the main results of the analysis of the state of Ukrainian secondary education in terms of health and safety, as well as its changes due to Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. Ukrainian secondary education is undergoing a profound transformation and transition from the old concept of teaching to new approaches formulated in the concept of the "New Ukrainian School." Changes in Ukrainian education affect all subjects and integrated courses, approaches to teaching, and schoolchild achievement assessment. The article analyzes the state of education in health and safety at the preschool stage and in primary, basic, and specialized secondary education. A separate subject, "Basics of Health," dedicated to health and safety issues, is proposed for schoolchildren in basic secondary education, i.e., grades 5-9. As part of the transformation of Ukrainian secondary education, the subject "Basics of Health" is gradually being replaced by the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being." The article provides model programs for the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being" recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine for the adaptation cycle (grades 5-6) and the basic subject learning cycle (grades 7-9). The main themes of health education studied by schoolchildren in basic secondary education are analyzed in detail and examples are provided. A separate section is dedicated to safety education. The curriculum for safety education covers a wide range of topics, including safety theory, home safety, safety in natural and urban environments, emergencies, communication safety, digital safety, and many others. The full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine has led to the emergence of specific military risks. It should be noted that many educational subjects underwent various changes as a result of the war. The main changes regarding health and safety, as well as additions concerning military risks, have been made in the subject "Basics of Health" and the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being." The article analyzes the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the added topics. Many conclusions have been drawn, including the necessity of studying military risks and ways to overcome them, as well as ensuring safety and health in wartime conditions.

  • Issue Year: 2024
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 84-102
  • Page Count: 19
  • Language: English
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