Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine, says that the current education system in Ukraine does not take into account the challenges of our time, among which the most tangible are the coronavirus epidemic and the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

Chaired by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov, a meeting was held on the state of the higher education system and the state order for preparing specialists, scientific, scientific-pedagogical and labor staff, advanced training and retraining in 2020-2021 in the context of national security, the NSDC said on its website.

According to Danilov, the analysis of the higher education system carried out with the help of software and hardware complex "COTA," allows one to speak about a systemic crisis that poses potential and real threats to the state and national security of Ukraine.

"We have to understand that the situation may become critical in a few years. The higher education system cannot simply issue diplomas, we must focus on the key areas that will determine our future," he said.

Danilov emphasized the identified disparities among higher and vocational education institutions, the gap between the education system and production, the orientation of the education system on the training of specialists for technologically obsolete industries.

"Ukraine's current education system does not take into account the current challenges facing the state, among which the most significant are the coronavirus epidemic and Russia's armed aggression," Danilov said stressing the need for preparing specialists taking into consideration the long-term market needs with a focus on developing innovative sectors of the economy.

"Recovery from the crisis is possible only through deep reform of the education system, and this must be done in the context of improving the state policy of innovative development of Ukraine," he underscored.

During the meeting, participants stressed the need to review approaches to the formation of the state education order, taking into account the long-term economic strategy and employment opportunities for graduates, changing the licensing system of vocational and higher education institutions, development of dual education.

"We must visualize all the processes taking place in the education system and give society a clear picture of how to get in-demand education and, most importantly, decent work," Danilov said.

Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Maryna Lazebna, Director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Deputy Minister of Finance of Ukraine Roman Yermolychev, Vice President of the Confederation of Employers of Ukraine, President of the Institute of Professional Qualifications Oleksiy Miroshnychenko, acting Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Serhiy Shkarlet attended the meeting.