Articles - Security Science Journal
Health And Safety Education In Schools Of Ukraine And Its Changes As A Result Of Russian Aggression
(Vol. 5 No. 2, 2024. Security Science Journal)
23 Jul 2024 03:57:00 PM
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Authors:
Vasyl Zaplatynskyi, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Ukraine

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37458/ssj.5.2.7
Research Paper
Received: May 5
Accepted: June 18

 

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.

 

Keywords: education in Ukraine, secondary school education, health education, security education, war in Ukraine.

 


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Introduction

The modern education system in Ukraine is undergoing dynamic transformation, ensuring a transition to advanced methodologies and standards. Changes in Ukrainian education have been occurring throughout the entire period of Ukraine's independence. Significant changes have taken place in higher education, PhD training, and so forth. However, the most notable changes have occurred in secondary education. Practically since 2016, measures have been initiated for radical changes in secondary education (Hrynevych L., Elkin O., Kalashnikova S., et al., 2016). These changes have led to the implementation of a complex of measures that can be collectively termed as the "New Ukrainian School." The changes outlined in the concept of the new Ukrainian school were primarily driven by a social demand for the necessity of reforming secondary education. Without considering these changes, it is difficult to distinguish the changes that have occurred and are occurring in Ukrainian secondary education under the influence of Russian aggression. Russian aggression, which began in 2014 and led to the occupation of Crimea and parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, did not significantly impact the reform of Ukrainian education. The reform of secondary education was based on other ideas, aligned with general European trends in education reform (Hlushko O., 2017). These ideas aim at substantial changes to the forms of teaching, methods, and educational goals to prepare students for the conditions and realities of the modern world. The second phase of Russian aggression, namely the full-scale aggression initiated by Russia in 2022, resulted in objective processes characterized by the slowing down of reform, the development of issues related to ensuring the safety of the educational environment, and changes in the programs and content of several subjects. Among all the educational directions that have changed due to Russian aggression, we will focus primarily on changes in health and safety education. 

The article aims to analyze the teaching of safety and health issues in Ukrainian secondary education and to identify changes that have occurred in the thematic content of safety and health under the influence of the Russian war against Ukraine.

The main research methods employed were content analysis and comparative analysis. Changes in the content of educational materials and expected outcomes of schoolchildren's cognitive activities in connection with the Russian war against Ukraine were examined. Generalization and systematization of data from content analysis and comparative analysis allowed for addressing several practical questions regarding the feasibility of including health and safety issues in the event of a threat of military conflict.

The relevance of studying the impact of Russian aggression on safety and health education and the secondary education system as a whole is evident in the context of contemporary global and regional challenges and changes. Implemented reforms and changes in safety and health education are essential elements for people's survival in the conditions of the modern world and the military situation in Ukraine. This topic becomes crucial not only for the internal needs of the Ukrainian educational system but also for international understanding of the impact of geopolitical conflicts on education development. The Ukrainian experience may be of interest to educators and researchers involved in health prevention and safety provision.

Current State of Secondary Education in Ukraine

The Ukrainian secondary education system is undergoing transformation. The transformation project, titled "New Ukrainian School," began in 2016. This project is characterized by a comprehensive approach to reforming the educational process in Ukraine. The changes in Ukrainian education are so significant that in 2017, the Law of Ukraine "On Education" was updated (2017) and the Law of Ukraine "On Complete General Secondary Education" (2020).

Education in Ukrainian schools will last for 12 years. Currently, schoolchildren study for 11 years. This education is divided into three levels: primary education lasts for four years, basic secondary education lasts for five years, and specialized secondary education lasts for three years. Primary education includes two cycles: grades 1-2 constitute the adaptation-play cycle, while grades 3-4 constitute the main cycle. Basic secondary education includes two cycles: grades 5-6 constitute the adaptation cycle, while grades 7-9 constitute the basic subject learning cycle. Specialized secondary education consists of the first cycle of specialized secondary education - the profile-adaptation cycle (10th year of study) and the second cycle of specialized secondary education - the profile cycle (11-12 years of study) (Law of Ukraine "On Complete General Secondary Education," Article 10, 2020). Specialized secondary education involves choosing an academic or professional direction (Law of Ukraine "On Education," 2017). Schoolchildren's education is conducted according to the new State Standards. Currently, the provisions of the State Standard for Primary Education (2018) and the State Standard for Basic Secondary Education (2020) are being implemented. Practical measures for the implementation of the "New Ukrainian School" began in the 2017-2018 academic year in the first grades of 100 pilot schools in Ukraine. In the current 2023-2024 academic year, students in grades 1-6 are studying according to the new standards within the framework of the "New Ukrainian School." The completion of the main stage of transition to the new Ukrainian school is planned for the 2029-2030 academic year.

Education on Health and Safety in the Structure of Secondary Education in Ukraine

Education on health and safety begins at the preschool preparation stage. The basis for this education is provided by the provisions of the State Standard for Preschool Education (2021). In the invariant part of the State Standard for Preschool Education (2021), health-preserving competence is separately highlighted. Safety issues are also classified under health-preserving competence. During the preschool education stage, a schoolchild differentiates between "safe" and "unsafe" concepts, comprehends the importance of safety in daily life, and so on. The implementation of health and safety competencies at the preschool education stage occurs in a playful form, through fairy tales, and stories, as discussed in the works of several Ukrainian scholars and educators, including L. V. Lokhvitska (2014), A. Koshel, V. Koshel, and K. Silka (2021).

Continuation of education on health and safety takes place in primary education. The implementation of the purpose of primary education, as defined by the State Standard for Primary Education (2018), is based, among other things, on such values as strong health and well-being, which can be achieved through the formation of a healthy lifestyle and the creation of conditions for harmonious physical and psycho-emotional development; ensuring safety by creating an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect, transforming the school into a safe place where violence and bullying are prevented, providing necessary support; responsibility for one's own life, and so on. At the primary education stage, the study of health and safety issues is organically intertwined with other topics. At this stage, there is no separate subject on health and safety.

A separate subject on health and safety appears in basic secondary education (grades 5-9). This subject is called "Basics of Health." As part of the transition to the new Ukrainian school, the subject "Basics of Health" is being replaced by an integrated course called "Health, Safety, and Well-being." In the 2023/24 academic year, the subject "Basics of Health" is taught in grades 7-9, while an integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being" is taught in grades 5-6. The integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being" aligns with the provisions of the State Standard for Basic Secondary Education (2022). According to the State Standard for Basic Secondary Education (2022), one of the values is the formation of a culture of healthy lifestyle for schoolchildren. Health and safety issues are included in key civic and social competencies. Education on health, safety, and well-being belongs to a separate social and health-preserving educational field. The purpose of this educational field is the development of the student's personality, capable of self-awareness, harmonious social and interpersonal interaction aimed at preserving one's own health and the health of others, ensuring safety, demonstrating initiative, and professional orientation for personal and social well-being (State Standard for Basic Secondary Education, 2022).

Profiled secondary education is currently awaiting reforms. As the State Standard for Profiled Secondary Education (2023) is under development and discussion, we do not have an answer to whether there will be a special course on health and safety in profiled schools. The draft State Standard for Profiled Secondary Education (2023) includes a separate social and health-preserving educational field. It is unknown which specific subjects or integrated courses may be developed for profiled secondary education (grades 10-12). It can be predicted with confidence that the subject "Defense of Ukraine" will remain in profiled schools. This is because the goal of the social and health-preserving educational field includes the thesis: "...readiness to act in the interests of Ukraine and defend it." The subject "Defense of Ukraine" is currently taught to students in grades 10-11. The subject "Defense of Ukraine" is mandatory. The purpose of education in the subject "Defense of Ukraine" is to develop knowledge, skills, and abilities in students regarding the defense of Ukraine and actions in emergency situations, as well as military-patriotic education. The subject "Defense of Ukraine" includes several sections on ensuring safety in various types of emergencies.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the main part of education on health and safety is carried out in the stage of basic secondary education in grades 5-9.

Topics of health education in basic secondary education.

A detailed analysis of the health and safety themes in basic secondary education in Ukrainian schools is complicated by the transition processes to the new Ukrainian school system. As noted earlier, in the 2023/24 academic year, schoolchildren in grades 5-6 study the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being," while schoolchildren in grades 7-9 study the subject "Basics of Health." The history of health and safety education in Ukrainian schools begins in the early 1990s. At that time, the subject " Basics of Life Safety" was introduced in Ukrainian secondary educational institutions. In 2004, the subject " Basics of Life Safety" transformed into the subject "Basics of Health" (Zaplatynskyi V.M., 2014). Subsequently, the programs of this subject underwent further improvement. Today, the current curriculum for the subject "Basics of Health" is a program revised in 2022. For schoolchildren in grades 5-6, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine recommended five model programs of the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being." In the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year, schoolchildren in grade 7 will study based on programs created from one of the four model programs of the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being" for grades 7-9.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine recommended model programs of the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being" for grades 5-6 from the following author teams:

  • Vasilenko S.V., Koval Y.Y., Kolotiy L.P.
  • Vorontsova T.V., Ponomarenko V.S., Lavrentieva I.V., Khomich O.L.
  • Gushchina N.I., Vasilyashko I.P.
  • Khitra Z.M., Romanenko O.A.
  • Shyian O., Voloshchenko O., Hrynovа M., Dyakiv V., Kozak O., Ovcharuk O., Sedochenko A., Soroka I., Strashko S.

All model programs are written in accordance with the State Standard of Basic Secondary Education. Thus, the programs implement all competencies and expected learning outcomes outlined in the State Standard of Secondary Education. However, the model programs significantly differ from each other in terms of volume, structure, number of sections in the main part, and so on. For example, the volume of the main part text (for grades 5 and 6) in different programs ranges from 12 to 22 pages of text. The smallest volume of the main part in the model program is by the author team Khitra Z.M., Romanenko O.A. - 12 pages, while the largest is by the author team Vasilenko S.V., Koval Y.Y., Kolotiy L.P. - 22 pages. All model programs highlight groups of health-related issues, including:

  • general health, 
  • physical health, 
  • mental and emotional health, 
  • social health, 
  • spiritual health.

In all programs, general health issues are considered. These include the concept of health in human life, health values, and components and levels of health.

A significant portion of the program is dedicated to physical health issues. Among these are physical development, adolescent physiological changes, and factors influencing health. Special attention is given to teaching about a healthy lifestyle, physical activity, prevention of various non-communicable diseases, and injury prevention. As early as the 5th grade, schoolchildren begin to study infectious diseases, their spread, prevention of infection, and vaccination. This topic has proven to be particularly useful, especially during the COVID-2019 pandemic. Prevention of HIV infection, tuberculosis, COVID-2019, and other infectious diseases are included in the curriculum. Topics of hygiene and nutrition are also covered within the scope of physical health.

In the realm of mental and emotional health, issues of health and safety are closely intertwined. For example, topics such as bullying, critical thinking about information, and so forth. Mandatory topics in this section include studying personality and mental processes, emotional intelligence, and the consequences of various behaviors and actions.

Themes related to social health include topics concerning family, parenthood, prevention of alcoholism, drug addiction, and so forth.

Among the topics of spiritual health, schoolchildren study issues of spirituality, moral and ethical values, the meaning of life, health culture, and so forth.

The material in the model programs is structured according to the age-appropriate capabilities of schoolchildren. Consequently, in older grades, the material is studied at a deeper and more complex level. However, the main thematic directions are preserved.

The program of the subject "Basics of Health" for grades 7-9 is structured according to four sections:

  • Human health and safety.
  • The physical component of health.
  • Mental and spiritual components of health.
  • The social component of health.

These sections closely correspond to those found in the model programs for 5-6 grades. For example, in the 7th grade, students are offered general human health issues, including questions about holistic health, health and lifestyle, benefits of a healthy lifestyle, and so forth. Students study practical aspects of preventing infectious and non-infectious diseases, protective reactions of the body, and so forth.

In the section "Physical Component of Health," issues of biological, psychological, social, and spiritual maturation are discussed; indicators and methods of improving physical fitness; cosmetic issues and skin care. The "Mental and Spiritual Components of Health" section covers topics that examine the peculiarities of mental and spiritual development in adolescents.

Ninth-grade students deepen their knowledge of healthy lifestyles, explore modern concepts of health, and so forth. In the theme of "Physical Health," students learn to monitor their health based on relevant indicators. They study the impact of physical activity on the physical, psychological, and social well-being of individuals. The theme of physical health includes topics on nutrition, hygiene, biological rhythms, and others. In the "Mental and Spiritual Components of Health" section, topics for 9th-grade students include self-realization, emotional well-being, moral development, and so forth. The social component of health is represented by themes related to family values, communication, and relationships. A significant number of topics are devoted to reproductive health. Naturally, among these topics are discussions on preventing sexually transmitted diseases, the influence of various factors on reproductive health, and so forth.

The theme of health in basic secondary education is quite broad. However, only 35 hours per year are allocated for studying the subject "Basics of Health." In other words, this amounts to 1 hour (one lesson) per week. This time is insufficient for effectively mastering many topics and forming the necessary competencies and corresponding attitudes toward various health-related issues. The reform known as the "New Ukrainian School" has allowed for adjusting the number of hours depending on the needs. According to the basic curriculum for subjects in the social and health-preserving field, between 1 and 3 hours of instructional time per week can be allocated. This circumstance enables teachers to choose the necessary scope of the course depending on the year of study, the student body, and internal and external factors, including military factors.

The teaching topic on safety in basic secondary education.

The safety topic does not have such a clear structure as the health topic. However, certain logical sections related to general safety issues, safety in everyday life, safety in emergencies, safety in the digital environment, and safety in communication should be highlighted.

Schoolchildren in the fifth and sixth grades, while studying the integrated course "Health. Safety and Well-being," thoroughly examine the meanings of the terms "safety," "danger," and "risk." They study types of dangerous situations, basic rules for effective actions when encountering a dangerous situation; and interaction with emergency and rescue services. A significant number of questions are devoted to traffic rules, namely rules for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as ensuring safety in public transport. Safety in everyday life is presented with topics related to the risks of household injuries, safety in the use of household appliances and chemicals, home security against intruders, safety on the streets, and so on.

The safety topic in emergencies can be adjusted by the teacher depending on the most likely territorial natural and man-made hazards.

It is important to note a significant number of topics on fire safety separately. These topics relate to fire prevention, actions in case of fires in households or in the surrounding environment, including natural settings.

Digital safety for students in grades 5-6 is presented with topics related to the risks of telephone, television, and internet scams.

As early as in the 5th and 6th grades, students learn about first aid, particularly in cases of electric shock, exposure to chemicals on the skin, poisoning, and road traffic accidents.

The continuation, deepening, and expansion of these and other safety issues occur in grades 7-9. The curriculum for the subject "Basics of Health," which ninth-grade students will study in the 2023-2024 academic year, includes a modern complex of safety issues. Among these issues are theoretical and philosophical questions, including safety as a human need. Students examine the interconnection of personal, national, and global security; environmental safety; and sustainable development.

Changes and additions to the topic of health and safety as a result of Russian aggression

Russian aggression against Ukraine began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and the occupation of parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. At that time, there was a question among educators about the necessity of studying military risks. However, no changes were made to the curriculum regarding war-related topics. Nonetheless, certain measures were taken at that time. As mentioned in previous works (Zaplatynskyi, V.M., 2014), the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, in its letter No. 1/12-6406 dated 12.09.2014 "Regarding the equipment of classrooms for the subject "Homeland Defense" in schools with training weapons, weapon replicas, and ammunition, personal protective equipment (gas masks)" requested assistance from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in this matter.

The full-scale aggression by Russia against Ukraine, which began in 2022, created threats for practically the entire population of Ukraine. As a result, significant changes have taken place in the Ukrainian education system. These changes are much more challenging to analyze in the higher education system due to the considerable autonomy of higher education institutions. The complexity of the analysis lies in the fact that issues related to military risks in higher education institutions could be studied as part of general or specialized subjects, as well as in optional classes.

Changes in the secondary education system due to the war with Russia not only occurred in the social and health preservation sector but also other areas of education. As mentioned in previous works (Zaplatynskyi, V.M., 2022, 2023), changes affected the teaching of Russian language and literature, foreign literature, world history and Ukrainian history, geography, and law. Most of the changes in the educational content were accelerated or caused by the wartime and political situation related to the war with Russia. The process of change prompted by the war continues. The subject "Defense of Ukraine" is currently undergoing reform. At the beginning of full-scale aggression, this subject was supplemented with topics on the fundamentals of national resistance; cybersecurity and modern information security; behavior in emergencies; and the prevention of risks associated with handling explosive materials. National-patriotic and military-patriotic education was intensified. Historical events of the modern Russian-Ukrainian war were included in the content of the subject "Defense of Ukraine."

The subjects and integrated courses in the social and health preservation field underwent the most significant additions due to Russian aggression. The first additions regarding military risks and ways to protect against them and overcome them were introduced into the curriculum of the "Basics of Health" subject in 2022. After the start of full-scale Russian aggression, various institutions and organizations provided information on protection against military threats. However, the first systematic inclusion of protection against military threats was made by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine specifically in the "Basics of Health" subject. Thus, students in grades 5-9 were systematically trained in actions in conditions of war threats. Students in grades 1-4 received knowledge through separate discussions and fragmented inclusion of military threat issues in the preparation program. Students in grades 10 and 11 received knowledge of actions in conditions of war threats as part of the "Defense of Ukraine" subject. The reform of this subject is ongoing.

Additions to the curriculum of the "Basics of Health" subject on military risk issues were made in such a way that in the first year (2022-2023 academic year), training on a maximum number of military threat issues was conducted with all students. Therefore, the added thematic content is quite similar for all classes. For 6th-grade students, 17 topics were proposed for study, for 7th-grade students - 24 topics, for 8th-grade students - 33 topics, and for 9th-grade students - 32 topics. The added topics regarding military risks and ways to overcome them can be divided into 4 logical blocks:

  • Wartime risks.
  • Prevention of risks from explosive objects.
  • Emergency first aid.
  • Psychological self-help.

The number of topics in each of the blocks differs depending on the age of the students.

Issues of wartime risks included topics related to the protection of life and health during wartime; protection during shelling, bombing and missile strikes; evacuation rules and choosing a safe shelter; actions under rubble; actions during chemical and radiation danger, etc.

The theme of "preventing risks from explosive objects" remains relevant for many years to come. Ukraine is the most heavily mined country in the world. The country has a large number of unexploded ordnance and mines. It should be noted that in the conditions of modern warfare, unexploded ordnance and mines can be found in combat zones, occupied territories, partially controlled territories, and throughout Ukraine. In some cases, explosive objects may cross the borders into neighboring countries. Experts estimate that it will take decades for Ukraine's territory to be fully cleared of mines. The time required for demining will depend on the trends in the continuation of the war and the resources and technologies available for demining.

To prevent and reduce risks from explosive objects, students learn about the types and characteristics of explosive objects and territories; methods of marking dangerous areas and objects; and rules of behavior when encountering explosive objects or incidents involving explosive objects.

Communication with armed individuals in the territories controlled by Ukraine and in the occupied territories is crucial during wartime. Students are taught the rules of interaction with emergency services.

The program for students in grades 5-9 includes a significant amount of first aid and self-help topics. The first aid theme includes issues such as assessing the condition of the victim, stopping various types of bleeding, performing resuscitation measures, providing first aid for burns, poisonings, and so on. Most first aid topics are proposed for students in grades 7-9.

Systematic discussions on psychological self-help are offered for students starting from grade 5. The most topics related to psychological self-help are proposed for students in grades 8-9. Among these topics are traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder, self-help techniques, breathing exercises, auto-training, meditation, prevention of fears and panic, and so on. Detailed analysis and comparison of the themes of war risks in the "Basics of Health" program have been conducted in previous studies, including (Zaplatinskyi V.M., 2023).

The authors of the model programs for the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being" for grades 5-6 of secondary school did not ignore the matter. Out of five author teams, three supplemented their programs with issues of war risks. The author teams made additions to the programs as early as 2022. It is worth noting that the officially amended programs were recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine for use in the educational process only in October 2023. The delay of more than a year in recommending model programs led to a number of complications for teachers in planning the educational process. Teachers had to independently supplement the educational programs using recommendations and the revised program of the subject "Basics of Health" developed in 2022. Some author teams promptly supplemented textbooks with war risk issues but did not make changes to the model programs.

Refined model programs of the integrated course "Health. safety and well-being" for grades 5-6 there are programs by the following authors' groups:

  • Hushchyna N.I., Vasylashko I.P.
  • Khytra Z.M., Romanenko O.A.
  • Vorontsova T.V., Ponomarenko V.S., Lavrentyeva I.V., Khomych O.L.

Different author teams approached the quantity and content of topics on war risks for students in grades 5-6 differently. To facilitate lesson planning, war risk issues were highlighted in a separate block. The authors of model programs proposed the following war-related topics for study: air raid signals; protection during shelling, including the "Two Wall Rule"; evacuation rules; preparation of an "Emergency Kit"; prevention of risks from explosive items, and others.

Modern warfare is often described as hybrid. Therefore, the authors of the model programs introduced topics on the safe use of digital devices, including in occupied conditions, and the risks of communication in the virtual environment during wartime.

Some safety topics are equally important in peacetime and wartime conditions. However, comparing their quantity and formulation with programs in the version written before the full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine, it is worth noting the expansion of the thematic scope and increase in its quantity. This includes topics on fire safety, evacuation, first aid in case of chemical substances contacting the skin, and poisoning by chemical agents.

The continuation of the reform of secondary education in Ukraine envisaged the creation of model programs for grades 7-9 already in the 2023-2024 academic year. This allows for the continuation of the implementation of the "New Ukrainian School" in the 7th grade in the 2024-2025 academic year. In August 2023, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine published four model programs for the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being" for grades 7-9.

These are the programs of the following authors' collectives:

  • Hushchyna N. I., Vasylashko I. P. (2023).
  • Shiyan O. I., Dyakiv V. G., Sedochenko A. B., Strashko S. V. (2023).
  • Vasylenko S. V., Kolotii L. P. (2023).
  • Vorontsova T. V., Ponomarenko V. S., Andruk N. V., Lavrentyeva I. V., Khomych O.L. (2023).

The authors of model programs used different approaches to the quantity and content of war risk topics. Some author teams opted for generalization and reduction in the number of topics, while others included the maximum number of topics in their programs. For example, the program by the author team of Shyian O. I., Dyakiv V. H., Sedochenko A. B., Strashko S. V. includes from 26 to 29 topics, depending on the grade level. Well-balanced in terms of quantity and content of war risk topics is the program by the author team of Vorontsova T. V., Ponomarenko V. S., Andruk N. V., Lavrentyeva I. V., Khomich O. L.

In the model programs for grades 7-9, the thematic continuity initiated in the programs for grades 5-6 related to information security continues. Topics on information security, information warfare, misinformation, and countering enemy propaganda are highly relevant. Interesting and novel topics include nutrition in wartime conditions and the use of improvised means of protection against chemical, biological, and radiological contamination.

The detailed analysis of the model programs of the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being" for students in grades 5-6 and for students in grades 7-9, as well as the curriculum of the subject "Basics of Health," indicates a fairly comprehensive coverage of the basic issues of military risks and ways to overcome them. Authors promptly incorporate new topics arising from new military threats into textbooks. Teachers also have the opportunity to include new topics in educational programs. Currently, the topic related to the use of drones and robots in military operations is relevant. Drones pose a danger not only on the front lines but also throughout the territory of Ukraine. It can be confidently predicted that the theme of preventing risks from explosive devices will remain relevant for many years due to the significant number of mines and ammunition in Ukraine's territory. For a long time after the end of the war, issues of psychological self-help in overcoming anxiety, fears, and post-traumatic stress disorder will be important. Even after the war, topics such as first aid, information security, etc., will remain relevant. Currently, the war continues. Unfortunately, it is impossible to accelerate its end or predict its development. Therefore, education on military risks and ways to overcome them remains relevant. The experience of Ukrainian education shows that the study of the topic of military dangers should have occurred not only after the start of full-scale aggression but also in the previous peaceful times. It can be predicted that this would have reduced the number of casualties and injuries among the civilian population, lowered psychological risks, etc.

The quantity of weapons worldwide is increasing. Weapons are becoming more powerful and diverse. The concepts of warfare are changing. New military risks are emerging. As long as humanity continues to use weapons to resolve conflicts, the theme of protection from military risks will remain relevant.

Conclusions

Ukrainian education on the basics of health and safety begins in preschool institutions and continues practically throughout the entire period of secondary school education. During preschool preparation and in primary school, health and safety education is integrated with other subjects. Ukrainian schools offer special courses dedicated to teaching health and safety issues. In basic secondary education (grades 5-9), students study the subject "Basics of Health," which gradually transitions into the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being." In specialized education (grades 10-11), students learn about safety and first aid in the subject "Defense of Ukraine". It can be anticipated that the reform of Ukrainian secondary education within the framework of the "New Ukrainian School" will result in changes in specialized education (grades 10-12) and the addition of a specialized course on safety and health. Analysis shows that health education covers the most important directions: disease prevention, health formation, strengthening, and preservation, as well as fostering a positive attitude toward a healthy lifestyle. Safety education includes the prevention of the most statistically significant risks. Students acquire important safety competencies in both every day and emergencies.

The full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine has led to changes in many educational subjects. The most significant changes and additions were made to the curriculum of the subject "Basics of Health" and the integrated course "Health, Safety, and Well-being." Analysis revealed minimal changes regarding health topics. Many topics related to safety were added, particularly those concerning military risks, first aid, and psychological self-help. These topics cover necessary competencies for preventing and protecting against military risks for the civilian population. It is expected that this theme will evolve in response to changes in military threats. Ukrainian experience shows that education on military risks and ways to overcome them should be conducted in peacetime and have a prepared program for expanding this theme in the event of a military threat or war. Further research on health and safety education will focus on improving the thematic content of health and safety education and determining a comprehensive list of necessary competencies for a healthy and safe life in the modern and future world.

 


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