Option attracts those seeking broader outlook, foreign languages.
International schools first sprouted in Kyiv in the 1990s, but they have recently started to shed their image as havens for expatriate children by attracting a growing number of Ukrainians.
It’s a good fit for both sides. The schools need students, and many Ukrainian parents are looking for international, foreign-language education for their youngsters.
In many schools, the ratios of Ukrainian students to international are nearly equal: In Anne de Kiev, a French school, native French speakers total 40 percent of the pupils, with another 40 percent comprised of Ukrainian children and the final 20 percent from other nationalities.
“Twenty-five years ago, international education was oriented mainly for expats. But nowadays, with countries such as Britain looking to attract people from all over the world into their educational systems, schools have had to change to adapt to new demands,” said Phil Billing, executive director of the British International School in Kyiv. “Ukraine is an energetically developing country and many parents see the benefits of international education for their children’s futures.”
The number of pupils in international schools is growing steadily in Kyiv. Moreover, according to school directors, despite annual tuition fees ranging from around $4,500 (for pre-school) to upwards of $24,000 (for final-year pupils), the popularity of the schools continued to increase, even during the financial crisis.
Kyiv offers a range of options, with schools teaching in English, German and French. Many Ukrainian parents are attracted by the fact that teaching is conducted largely or entirely in a foreign language.
For students whose parents’ jobs require them to move frequently, following a foreign curriculum offers students the flexibility of picking up their education from where they left off. Diplomas from many of the curricula in use are accepted by a wide range of higher education institutions worldwide, giving the students excellent prospects to continue their education oversees.
Some international schools are self-regulated, whereas others are subject to regulation from international bodies such as the International Baccalaureate Association or the Ministry of Education of their country. Steve Calland-Scoble, director of the Pechersk School International, explained: “We can be inspected at any time, so we must comply with all the standards established both by international organizations and Ukraine. We’ve already been inspected once and the inspector just turned up at the gates unannounced and walked straight in.”
In international education, much emphasis is put on global perspectives and tolerance towards other cultures.
Irina Yefremova, whose daughter, Veronika, studies at the British International School enthused about the variety and scope of lessons, including cooking classes: “One month they may study Indian cuisine, the next Italian […] then she comes home and cooks for us.”
But Lilia Hrynevych, former head of the main department of education and science of the Kyiv City Council, stressed that education in international schools “should not be limited to knowledge of a foreign language.”
Often, the study of world literature is required Hrynevych worries that elements of Ukrainian culture may be neglected in some syllabuses: “Schools must show a respectful attitude to Ukrainian culture and language as the school is on Ukrainian territory. Some cope well with the task, others less well.”
However, she urged parents to “make inquiries into whether the school holds a license, about the curriculum offered and the qualifications and certificates with which the child will leave the school … It is possible that the child will want to continue their education in the Ukrainian system.”
Some, but not all international schools offer tabeli, or the Ukrainian school reports that allow the students to move easily between the international and Ukrainian systems.
While internationally accepted high school educations offer excellent prospects at universities abroad, they are often not accepted as entrance qualifications in Ukrainian universities. In order to obtain the Ukrainian Atestat for university entrance, students in many schools have to take additional classes.
According to Tobias Ernst, director of the Kyiv German School, a dual system means local children are able to pick the best of both worlds. “However, this approach also means additional strain on those pupils who strive to attain both the German and the Ukrainian certificate of higher education, especially in the higher grades.
Work is in progress to develop an integrated German-Ukrainian curriculum that will leverage possible synergies and reduce the strain on those children,” Ernst said.
Some such curricula are already in place. The British International School, for example, has two streams: an International Certificate Program for international students, where students work towards British A2 and AS exams, and a Dual Certificate Program where students study for both AS and A2 as well as the Ukrainian Atestat and EFL.
According to Calland-Scoble of Pechersk School International, the International Baccalaureate Organization is attempting to get the qualification recognized in Ukraine. But, Calland-Scoble said, more must be done to lobby the government to recognize international qualifications as fulfilling Ukraine’s university entrance requirements.
Kyiv Post staff writer Lucy Chambers can be reached at [email protected].
