State language policy in education of modern Ukraine under perspective European integration

Ivan Lopushynskyi,

PhD (Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences), associate professor, Department of Foreign Languages, Kherson National Technical University, 24, Beryslavske Shose Str., Kherson, Ukraine

Анотація

Державна мовна політика в галузі освіти сучасної України в умовах перспективної євроінтеграції

Євроінтеграційний рух України включає визнання європейських стандартів в галузі мовної політики, оскільки світовий досвід доводить вирішальну роль мовно-культурного фактору у формуванні національних спільнот, а також що поширення однієї мови є найдієвішим чинником консолідації населення в межах однієї держави. Мета статті: розробити та науково обґрунтувати концептуальну модель формування та реалізації державної мовної політики в галузі освіти України в умовах перспективної євроінтеграції, яка базується на системі наукових підходів, нормативно-правових документах та емпіричних даних щодо мовної ситуації в галузі освіти України. Вибір завдань дослідження визначив його методологію, а саме вивчення і аналіз теорії й практики формування та реалізації державної мовної політики в галузі освіти. У статті проаналізовано теоретичні засади формування та реалізації державної мовної політики у галузі освіти України, визначено суть і взаємозв'язок основних категорій теорії мовної політики, обґрунтовано потребу в розробленні сучасної мовної політики в галузі освіти України як складової загальнонаціональної державно-громадської системи цієї політики. На підставі проведених досліджень запропоновано методологію вдосконалення механізмів її функціонування та розвитку. Запропоновано альтернативні моделі здійснення мовної політики у галузі освіти України. На основі проведених досліджень подано методологію вдосконалення механізмів формування та реалізації державної мовної політики в галузі освіти України. Підсумки дослідження дають змогу визначити напрями дальшого розвитку і вдосконалення мовної політики в галузі освіти України.

Ключові слова: Українська держава, мовна політика, галузь освіти, перспективна євроінтеграція.

Together with the proclamation of independence by Ukraine, the emergence of its areas of democratic statebuilding, the subject of linguistic revival has become of particular importance and urgency. In today's conditions, the task of a holistic Ukrainian-speaking approach to the solution of language problems, determination of the role of the Ukrainian language in understanding the nationbuilding and nation-wide processes arises, since the awareness of belonging to a single language and cultural community is a guarantee of the political stability of the national state. The European integration movement of Ukraine means, in particular, the recognition of European standards both in the field of linguistic policy, as far as world experience proves the decisive role of the language and cultural factor in the formation of national communities, and that the spread of a single language is the most effective factor in the consolidation of the population within a single state. The advanced European countries primarily seek to ensure the full functioning of the state (official) language, guarantee the preservation, development and use of national and regional languages, and facilitate the study of at least two foreign languages.

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment, approved by the Council of the European Union in November 2001, in particular, stipulates that “The Council is concerned to improve the quality of communication among Europeans of different language and cultural backgrounds. This is because better communication leads to freer mobility and more direct contact, which in turn leads to better understanding and closer co-operation. The Council also supports methods of learning and teaching which help young people and indeed older learners to build up the attitudes, knowledge and skills they need to become more independent in thought and action, and also more responsible and co-operative in relation to other people. In this way the work contributes to the promotion of democratic citizenship” (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment).

Proceeding from this approach, the priority of the state language policy of Ukraine is, first of all, the establishment and development of the Ukrainian language - the determining factor and the main characteristic of the identity of the Ukrainian nation that historically lives on the territory of Ukraine is the absolute majority of its population, gave the official name to the state and is the basic system-forming component of the Ukrainian statehood (Protasova, Luhovyy, Molchanova, 2012).

Taking into account that the leading place in the formation of the statehood of the Ukrainian language belongs to the education sector, the State National Pro gram “Education” (“Ukraine of XXI Century”), the strategic task of reforming the content of education, establishes the study of the Ukrainian language in all educational institutions, establishing it as the main language the functioning of a secondary, vocational and higher school (State national program “Education” approved by the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine).

In accordance with the National Doctrine for the Development of Education, a system of continuous language education is created in the state, which should ensure the mandatory acquisition of the state (Ukrainian) language by our citizens, the ability to master the native (national) language and practically possess at least one foreign language (National Doctrine of Education Development: approved by Decree of the President of Ukraine of April 17, 2002 No. 347/2002).

At the same time, the linguistic situation in the field of education of Ukraine remains unresolved, characterized by a number of negative phenomena and trends, and requires significant changes. First of all, the process of transition of secondary educational institutions to the state language education has considerably slowed down, students of national minority schools have a poor knowledge of the state language for their socialization in the Ukrainian society, and fundamental changes require the study of foreign languages. This situation clearly demonstrates the need for new, effective mechanisms for the formation and implementation of the state language policy and the development of proper practice of the functioning of the state language (Ukrainian), languages of national minorities and foreign languages in the field of education of Ukraine (Protasova, Luhovyy, Molchanova, 2012).

Despite the declaration of the state status of the Ukrainian language, an analysis of the linguistic situation in the Ukrainian state indicates the presence of political speculations on its use, which contradicts the interests of Ukraine's national security and jeopardizes its sovereignty, especially in the context of the military aggression of a neighbouring state.

To eliminate such a threat, it is necessary to expand the scope of the Ukrainian language, to stimulate the formation and protection of the national language-cultural and linguistic-information space. The state must ensure unconditional compliance with the constitutional norm on the comprehensive development and functioning of the Ukrainian language in all spheres of public life throughout Ukraine, primarily in the field of education.

The priority of the state language policy should be the establishment and development of the Ukrainian language - the determining factor and the main feature of the identity of the Ukrainian nation, historically living on the territory of Ukraine, is an absolute majority of its population, gave the official name of the state and is the basic system-forming component of Ukrainian statehood and the Ukrainian people - citizens of Ukraine of all nationalities.

Aim and Tasks

The paper aims to develop and substantiate the conceptual model of the formation and implementation of the state language policy in the field of education of Ukraine in the context of perspective European integration, which is based on a system of scientific approaches, normative legal documents and empirical data on the language situation in the field of education of Ukraine.

To accomplish this aim, the following tasks were to be solved: to analyse the theoretical foundations of the formation and implementation of the state language policy in the field of education of Ukraine; to define the essence and interconnection of the main categories of the theory of language policy; to substantiate the need for the development of modern language policy in the field of education of Ukraine as an integral part of the national state-public system of this policy; on the basis of the conducted studies to propose a methodology for improving the mechanisms of its functioning and development; to provide alternative models of implementing language policy in the field of education of Ukraine; on the basis of conducted research, to present a methodology for improving the mechanisms for the formation and implementation of the state language policy in the field of education of Ukraine.

Research Methods

The choice of research tasks determined its methodology, namely, the study and analysis of the theory and practice of the formation and implementation of state language policy in the field of education. Proceeding from this, the methodological basis of the research is as general science (analysis, synthesis, comparison, induction, deduction), as well as special methods, in particular: the historical-genetic method (for the establishment of changes in language policy, the identification of the peculiarities of the development of linguistic situations and factors that they predetermined); empirical methods (for the study of documentary sources related to language policy); observation (to confirm and supplement the results of the questioning, to find out the subjective perception of the linguistic and cultural situation, valuable attitude to its development).

Research Results

Article 10 of the Constitution of Ukraine stipulates the provision that the Ukrainian language is the state language on the country. The state provides comprehensive development and functioning of the Ukrainian language in all spheres of public life throughout Ukraine. In Ukraine, free development, use and protection of Russian and other languages of national minorities of Ukraine are guaranteed. The state promotes the learning of languages of international communication. The use of languages in Ukraine is guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine and is determined by law (The Constitution of Ukraine).

In support of Article 10 of the Fundamental Law of Ukraine, the Constitutional Court (case on the application of the Ukrainian language) in its Decision No. 10-рп / 99 dated December, 14, 1999 on the use of the state language

in the educational process in educational institutions established: “Proceeding from the provisions of Article 10 of the Constitution of Ukraine and Ukrainian laws on guaranteeing the use of languages, including in the educational process, in the language of instruction in preschool, general secondary, vocational and higher state and communal educational institutions of Ukraine is the Ukrainian language. In state and communal educational institutions along with the state language in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine, in particular, part five of Article 53 (“citizens belonging to national minorities, according to the law, are guaranteed the right to study in their mother tongue or to study their mother tongue in state and communal educational establishments or through national cultural societies” - author), and laws of Ukraine (On the basis of the state language policy: Law of Ukraine dated July 03, 2012 № 5029-VI; On Education: Draft Law of April 04, 2016 No. 3491-d; On ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: Law of Ukraine on May 15, 2003 No. 802- IV), the languages of national minorities can be used and studied in the educational process” (The Constitution of Ukraine).

The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages was adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on November 5, 1992. This document is intended to promote the development of, first of all, those languages, which, as stated in the preamble to it, “are in danger of eventual extinction” (European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages).

At the eighth plenary meeting of the National Commission for the Strengthening of Democracy and the Rule of Law on July 11, 2006, a new version of the translation into Ukrainian was proposed, not from the Russian translation (as was done initially), but from the original language (that is, in the English and French languages - the working languages Council of Europe). In the refined translation, the title of the document sounds as follows: “European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages”, that is, minor, threatened languages that need protection.

The Law of Ukraine dated May 15, 2003, No. 802- IV “On Ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages” (Charter signed on behalf of Ukraine on May 2, 1996 in Strasbourg - author's) stipulates that “when applying the provisions The Charter's measures aimed at establishing the Ukrainian language as a state one, its development and functioning in all spheres of public life throughout the territory of Ukraine are not considered to be such as to prevent or threaten the preservation or development of languages (italics - author), for which according to Article 2 of this Law the provisions of the Charter apply” (On ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: Law of Ukraine on May 15, 2003 No. 802-IV).

In addition, the Decree of the President of Ukraine “On the Concept of State Language Policy” on the language of instruction states: “The provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine oblige ... to apply the state - Ukrainian

language ... in the educational process in state and municipal educational institutions of Ukraine” (About the Concept of the State Language Policy: Decree of the President of Ukraine dated February 15, 2010 № 161/2010).

The need for citizens in the language of instruction is determined obligatory by applications for the language of instruction given by students (for minors -by parents or persons replacing them), by students entering state and communal educational institutions, as well as, if necessary, at any time during the training. State and communal educational establishments create separate classes according to the established procedure, groups in which education is conducted in a language other than in the educational institution as a whole, in the presence of a sufficient number of relevant statements about the language of instruction from pupils (for minors - from parents or persons who replace), from students in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine on education. In order to maintain a small number of language groups in accordance with the established procedure, standards are established for the formation of small-scale educational institutions, classes, groups and conditions for their functioning. The language of instruction in private educational institutions of all educational levels is determined by the founders (owners) of these institutions. All general secondary education institutions provide for the study of the state language and one of the regional or minority languages. The level of study of regional or minority languages is determined by the local councils in accordance with the legislation on education, taking into account the prevalence of these languages in the respective territory. In state and communal general educational institutions with studying in regional languages, teaching subjects is conducted in regional languages (with the exception of the Ukrainian language and literature taught in the Ukrainian language). Tests for external evaluation of the quality of education are made in the state language. At the request of a person, the tests are provided in a regional or minority language (with the exception of a test in the Ukrainian language and literature). The interview or other forms of control, if provided when entering the educational institution, are conducted in the official language or language of instruction institution, at the request of an applicant. The state provides training of teaching staff for educational institutions in regional or minority languages, providing methodological support for it. Institutions can create classes and groups studying in foreign languages” (On the basis of the state language policy: Law of Ukraine dated July 03, 2012 № 5029-VI).

In support of this provision, Article 20 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Principles of State Language Policy” (On the basis of the state language policy: Law of Ukraine dated July 03, 2012 № 5029-VI) on the language of education states: “The free choice of the language of instruction is an inalienable right of the citizens of Ukraine, which is implemented within the framework of this Law, subject to compulsory study the state language sufficient to integrate into the Ukrainian society (italics - author's).

Citizens of Ukraine are guaranteed the right to receive education in the state language and in regional or minority languages. This right is provided through a network of pre-school children's institutions, secondary, extracurricular, vocational and higher state and communal educational institutions with Ukrainian or other languages of instruction, which is created based on the needs of citizens in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine on education.

Thus, it is evident that all normative legal acts of the Ukrainian state have two main problems: ensuring the state status of the Ukrainian language and ensuring the free development of languages of national minorities.

Next, let us consider the innovations of the Law “On Education” dated September 5, 2017. Article 7 of the Law states that the language of the educational process in educational institutions is the state one. Representatives of indigenous peoples and national minorities of Ukraine “are guaranteed the right to study in their native language along with the Ukrainian language in communal institutions of preschool and general secondary education” (On Education: Draft Law of April 04, 2016 No. 3491-d). This right is exercised through separate institutions of education, classes in the language of the respective national minority and indigenous people of Ukraine along with the Ukrainian language, and is not applied to educational institutions and classes with instruction in the Ukrainian language.

Institutions may also have one or more disciplines in two or more languages - in the official language, in English or in other official languages of the European Union.

The law regulates that, in place of today's practice, when schools of national minorities study only in the language of national minorities, there will be a gradual increase in the number of subjects taught in Ukrainian. At the same time, it is planned that children will study only a few subjects in the language of national minorities at a university (On Education: Draft Law of April 04, 2016 No. 3491-d).

On this occasion, the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Liliya Hrynevych said: “We are grateful to the representatives of national minorities for their understanding. They realize that their children need to know Ukrainian, otherwise they simply will not be able to continue their educational career and successfully enter Ukrainian universities” (Hrynevych). In addition, it should be noted that the representatives of national minorities in such a state of affairs studying the state language will have problems with entering higher educational institutions, admission to civil service as well starting in May 2017, in accordance with the new Law “On Civil Service” and the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on April 26, 2017 No. 301 (as amended), applicants for the civil service must submit a certificate of fluency in the state language, among other documents for the competition.

At the same time, after the adoption of the Law, the Heads of Foreign Ministries of Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece and Romania signed a letter to the Head of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine expressing concern about the new Law “On Education” (The heads of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece and Romania signed a letter to Ukrainian colleagues). Russia, Poland and the President of Moldova also spoke about the Law with sharp criticism (On Education: Draft Law of April 04, 2016 No. 3491-d).

Responding to criticism, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Pavlo Hobzey explained that only 10% of Ukrainian pupils are not taught in Ukrainian, 9.4% of which study in Russian, 0.4% - in Hungarian and Romanian, and hundredths of one percent, 5 schools, study in Polish. In Ukraine 78 people are taught in Bulgarian and there is no single Bulgarian school (Hobzey). In addition, the Deputy Minister noted that it is now necessary to clarify the provisions of the new Law (On the basis of the state language policy: Law of Ukraine dated July 03, 2012 № 5029-VI) on the language of instruction for neighbouring countries.

Such an explanation on September 15, 2017 was given by the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Liliya Hrynevych at a meeting with the ambassadors (attended by ambassadors or representatives of the embassies of 11 countries, as well as representatives of the EU, the Council of Europe and OSCE) of the European Union. Participants agreed to cooperate on the implementation of a language article in the Law “On Education” (On Education: Draft Law of April 04, 2016 No. 3491-d). After this meeting, a number of other talks with leading representatives of neighbouring states on the application of Article 7 of the Law took place, which gave a positive result. In addition to foreign states, some Ukrainian politicians and officials expressed dissatisfaction with changes in language legislation - for example, the head of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration Hennadiy Moskal urged the President to veto the new version of the Law “On Education” (On Education: Draft Law of April 04, 2016 No. 3491-d) because it contradicted to European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages).

Instead, there were no legal grounds for the veto. In our opinion, the Law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada is fully in line with the requirements of the Ukrainian Constitution (The Constitution of Ukraine), Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities on February 1, 1995) and European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages). As a result, Ukraine has not violated any international obligations. The study of the same state language is in the interests of the national minorities themselves. Instead, to ensure that the rights of national minorities were not violated, each of them has a duty to use the state language and receive secondary or higher education in the state language of Ukraine. As regards the desire of national minorities to study their mother tongues, Article 13 of Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, ratified by the Law of Ukraine dated December 9, 1997 No. 703/97-VR, which came into force on May 01, 1998 (Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities on February 1, 1995), grants them the right to create their own private educational institutions, but does not oblige the state to finance them.

At the same time, after the adoption of the Law “On Education” ((On Education: Draft Law of April 04, 2016 No. 3491-d), children from national minorities, in fact, will have to learn more Ukrainian. Previously, the law allowed them, as already said before, with the consent of their parents and local authorities, not only fully absorb the school curriculum in their mother tongue, but also pass Standardized External Testing in it.

In addition, the legislation allowed the creation of schools for the study of the language of the national minority, but with the educational process in the Ukrainian language. That is, the range of options was rather wide. This situation, as practice shows, did not contribute to the integration of representatives of national minorities into the Ukrainian society. Children from schools where learning was conducted in the languages of national minorities traditionally did not make good Standardized External Testing, especially on the Ukrainian language. There was reason to say that the quality of education in these schools left much to be desired, especially in the context of continuing education in Ukrainian higher education, where the study is still in the state language.

At the same time, the current law (On Education: Draft Law of April 04, 2016 No. 3491-d) does not prohibit children from learning their native language. Representatives of national minorities can study in their native language in kindergartens and elementary schools. According to this, logic is quite clear and grounded in our opinion: children who do not speak the state language in their everyday lives cannot begin to study it. Thus, the children will have time to learn Ukrainian at a level that will allow them to continue studying in Ukrainian, and to enter higher education institutions in Ukraine. In addition, a child can study native language even after elementary school, if there enough pupils enrolled to open an additional language class.

The very Law, according to our deep conviction, does not violate the European Charter of Regional or Minority Languages, because, as already mentioned above, it notes that the state must provide national minorities with access to the study of their mother tongues without prejudice to assimilation of the state one (italics - author's).

If you have a Romanian or Hungarian speaking environment and you come across a state language in just two hours of the Ukrainian language and two hours of Ukrainian literature in the curriculum, this is clearly not enough to learn the state language and continue to be able to pursue a career in Ukraine”, - says Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Pavlo Hobzey. So, having passed the Law, the Verkhovna Rada has equated the citizens of Ukraine with rights, he concludes (Hobzey). According to the Deputy Minister, the parliament envisaged two years of transition, and from 2020 the main language of instruction in all the state Ukrainian schools from the fifth to the eleventh form will be Ukrainian. “The results of the Standardized External Training in the Ukrainian language and literature show that pupils of such schools, firstly it concerns schools with the Hungarian and Romanian language of instruction, in fact do not learn the state language”, - he states. According to Pavlo Hobzey, this is a logical consequence of teaching not in the state language (Hobzey).

In this regard, education in the Ukrainian (state) language becomes of particular importance in its inextricable connection with other spheres of society's life. That is why the Ukrainian state must do its utmost to ensure that the state (Ukrainian) language is studied not by coercion, but with love and respect for it.

At the same time, in our opinion, there are a number of specific factors that ultimately ensure the implementation of education in the Ukrainian (state) language and, consequently, the formation of a national-linguistic personality.

That is why the mechanisms of state regulation of language policy in the field of education of Ukraine are defined by us as a system of tools, levers, methods and incentives by which the state regulates the use of the Ukrainian (state) language in the educational sphere and implements the state language policy. In other words, state mechanisms include political, legal, organizational and management (regulation) tools.

Today at Ukrainian universities the Ukrainian language is mastered first of all within the discipline course “Ukrainian language of professional orientation”, which requires urgent updating. However, there are no scientific papers on the study of structural and content innovations of this discipline in particular and of linguistic education in general through the prism of such a pedagogical field as the theory and methodology of education management (Prysiazhniuk, 2017).

Consequently, the Ukrainian language education should be guided by the personality, democracy, and competitiveness of the person in the world educational space. Based on the national idea of the Ukrainian statebuilding, the state (Ukrainian) language, it should be aimed at consolidating Ukrainian national interests, should be carried out throughout life, should meet the ever-changing needs of the individual and society.

Only the native Ukrainian language, which is assimilated at its beginnings in the family and systematically deepened at school, will ensure the formation in the children of the national psyche, character, worldview, consciousness and other important components of the spirituality of the people; only by its means it is possible to instill in children spiritual, moral and ideological values and give an understanding of their leading role in the life of an individual and in the existence of the whole nation.

The formation of the Ukrainian national-linguistic personality will not be successful without taking into account the factors of national consciousness and selfconsciousness. National identity includes an understanding by the individual of his or her nationality, the specific features of his or her own nation, its historical past, and the attitude to ethnic values. National consciousness is formed on the basis of social, political, economic, moral, aesthetic, philosophical, religious and other views and beliefs.

The formation of the Ukrainian national-linguistic personality is inextricably linked with the development of mentality. Mentality is an integrative feature of ethnopsy- chology, which is understood to mean the lifestyle and culture inherent in this nation, and the system of values, attitudes, worldview, character traits, behavior, inherent in this ethnic community.

Consequently, the study of the state (Ukrainian) language plays a leading role in the formation of the Ukrainian national-linguistic personality, promotes the education of young people in the national and original traits of the Ukrainian people. At the same time, the desire of parents and children to study Ukrainian as native and state one, regional and national languages as well as foreign languages requires a well thought out and purposeful implementation in today's Ukraine. This is confirmed by the fact that after the entry into force of the Law of Ukraine “On the Principles of State Language Policy” (About the Concept of the State Language Policy: Decree of the President of Ukraine dated February 15, 2010 № 161/2010), on August 10, 2012, few parents wrote an application to transfer their children from Ukrainian to Russian. This indicates a well-considered state language policy in the field of education in Ukraine. At the same time, the introduction of the Law (On the basis of the state language policy: Law of Ukraine dated July 03, 2012 № 5029-VI) should create the right conditions for the study of regional and minority languages.

Conclusions

In Ukraine today, there is an urgent need for a substantial restructuring of language training, ensuring the study, in addition to the state and native language (in elementary school), of at least two foreign languages, in particular those that are sufficiently communicative in the short term. We have identified the specifics of the formation and implementation of the state language policy in the field of education of Ukraine in the conditions of European integration processes. It is substantiated that updated standards of the Ukrainian language education should combine national and European components; the facts of European development, including the necessary knowledge about Europe, European heritage (including national and regional languages), values and benchmarks should be taken into account. Changes in the content of the Ukrainian language education should be the main effective tool for its reform.

The mentioned processes cause, first of all, the need for the definition, harmonization and approval of normative and legal support in the field of language education, taking into account the requirements of international and European standards and certification systems. Provided that Ukraine's legal documents are brought into line with European standards, restructuring of the organizational and functional structure for the implementation of the language policy, the use of the experience of the leading European states regarding the resolution of language problems at the national and regional levels is quite possible.

We have defined and theoretically substantiated the system of socio-political, legal, economic and organizational mechanisms for the formation and implementation of the state language policy in the field of education of Ukraine, the ways of its realization.

At the moment, the following tendencies of the development of language policy in the field of education of Ukraine remain: 1) the Ukrainian language has not yet been properly applied in the field of education, its prestige level is inadequate in its use; 2) the educational space in Ukraine is bilingual (Ukrainian-Russian); 3) lagging behind the pace of improvement of the regulatory framework for the implementation of language policy from the needs of the present; 4) the lack of formation of the Ukrainian-speaking space in the field of education; 5) insufficient attention from the public authorities to the priority of the native (Ukrainian) language in the formation and development of a citizen of Ukraine; 6) insufficient level of study and distribution of languages of national minorities.

As a result of our research, we identified the following priority ways of optimizing legal and organizational and structural mechanisms for the formation and implementation of state language policy in the field of education of Ukraine: 1) amending the Constitution of Ukraine, adopting new laws and improving existing ones; 2) adoption of the “Concept of the State Language Policy” on the board level; 3) the development of effective mechanisms for the implementation of the state language policy in the field of education of Ukraine; 4) optimization of the organizational and functional structure of the formation and implementation of the state language policy in the field of education of Ukraine; 5) the development of models for the provision of educational language policy.

In order to accelerate social transformation and optimize language and cultural space in Ukraine, new laws “On the State Language of Ukraine”, “On National and Regional Minorities”, Amendments to the Laws of Ukraine “On the Principles of the State Language Policy”, “On Ratification of the European Charter for Regional Policy language or minority language”, which would effectively protect and establish the Ukrainian language as the language of national unity and Ukrainian citizenship, guarantee the equality of ethnic groups, harmonize national language legislation with European and world ones and consistently performed Ukraine's commitments under international treaties and international legal instruments.

The new language legislation, in particular the Law of Ukraine “On Education”, the State Program for the Development of the Ukrainian Language, should eliminate potential sources of tension between the different language groups of the society, between the eastern and western regions of Ukraine, accelerate the process of European integration, the formation of the Ukrainian political nation, civil society, ethnic, political and linguistic culture of citizens. In the new language legislation, in particular the Law “On the State Ukrainian Language”, appropriate state financial support and appropriate protectionist measures for the development of the Ukrainian language should be established, and it is necessary to specify its status, functions and consolidating role.

We have offered a methodology for improving the mechanisms for the formation and implementation of the state language policy in the field of education of Ukraine. The analysis of the effectiveness of political, socioeconomic, legal and organizational mechanisms for the formation and implementation of the state language policy in the field of education of Ukraine makes it possible: a) to establish factors influencing the linguistic situation in the state (social status of the society and state of its economy, state and political leadership, political parties and public organizations, the spiritual state of the society, Ukrainian-language and Russian-speaking churches, patriotic aspirations of the intelligentsia, state and linguistic unity of citizens, the influence of the West and the East diaspora, external factors, etc.); b) to prove the need to amend the current legislation of Ukraine regarding the implementation of the language rights of citizens in the field of education, since the absence of a long legal basis (“The Concept of Language Policy” (until February 2010), the modern Law “On the Principles of State Language Policy” (until July 2012), the basic new Law “On Education” (until September 2017), confusion in the laws of Ukraine (“On National Minorities”, “On Ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages” and others) and the concepts and their noncompliance with European and world standards did not allow the Ukrainian language to take place in the right place for education in the Ukrainian state and, at the same time, to ensure proper study and use of regional languages and languages of national minorities; c) to identify ways of reforming the existing ones and creating new organizational structures for the implementation of language policy (proposals have been made for the renewal of the Council on the issues of language policy under the President of Ukraine, the creation of appropriate structures at the Administration of the President of Ukraine and the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the State Department (Institute) of language policy and its structures in the vertical of the bodies of state executive power and executive bodies of local self-government, language inspections, language services, etc.).

The urgent need to ensure the implementation of modern language policy in the field of education in Ukraine has encouraged us to develop and substantiate a conceptual model based on a system of scientific approaches, legal documents and empirical data on the language situation in the field of education of Ukraine.

The proposed conceptual model implies the attribution of Ukraine to one-national (mono-ethnic) states (with several existing multinational regions); definition of the state status of the Ukrainian language as the only state in Ukraine; recognition of Russian as one of the languages of national minorities in Ukraine (as opposed to opinions about Russian as a second state language); awareness of the needs of regionalization of language education in Ukraine; the need for several variants (by degree of complexity) of programs and textbooks in the Ukrainian language intended for different regions of Ukraine; the requirement for proper knowledge of the state language and at least one foreign language by all graduates of educational institutions of Ukraine, including schools with languages of instruction of national minorities.

The conditions for the implementation of alternative models of the formation and implementation of the state language policy in the field of education of Ukraine, the first of which - “Balancing the national-language ratio of the population of Ukraine” - provides for the provision of the national status of the Ukrainian (native) language, the second - “Reorganization of the linguistic policy in the field of education of Ukraine on a regional principle” - aims to achieve the national status of the Ukrainian (state) language, the third - the “status quo” - in the case of failure in reaching agreement in the Ukrainian society and politicians especially - provides for steady and consistent implementation of existing legislation on the functioning of Ukrainian and minority languages in education in our state.

It is determined that the conditions of implementation at the regional level of the proposed alternative models are personnel, software and textbooks providing education, the needs of markets labor, the regulatory framework of the education system, the state of management of the educational sector, the role of civil society in implementing the educational process, etc. It is shown that in the present situation, consensus in the language sphere should be beneficial (politically and financially) both to the Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking communities in Ukraine, as well as to all national minorities in our country.

In order to manage properly the process of implementing the state language policy in the field of education, the following recommendations can be given to state authorities and local self-government: 1) through the system of continuous language education in the state policy, a language breakthrough should be provided that will enable every citizen of Ukraine to master the state (Ukrainian), native (national), regional and at least one foreign language; 2) in educational institutions where learning is conducted in the languages of national or regional minorities, it is necessary to create extremely favourable conditions for the proper mastering of the state language, which will allow the painless entry of representatives of national and regional minorities into Ukrainian society, provide them with access to civil service, science, culture and information sphere. At the same time, the right of national and regional minorities to meet the educational needs of their native language, the preservation and development of ethnic culture, its support and protection by the state should be adequately ensured; 3) the widespread introduction of the state (Ukrainian) language, the division of classes into subgroups for the study of the Ukrainian language in schools with languages of instruction of national minorities necessarily requires an additional number of Ukrainian-speaking teachers and teachers of the Ukrainian language. The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, along with the increase in the number of such future teacher categories for pedagogical higher educational institutions, should be provided with a significant increase in their professional training, especially at the philological faculties.

The issue of the quality of Ukrainian-speaking students' training is a matter of urgency, in which the level of professional training of the teaching staff of higher educational institutions, their degree of possession in the Ukrainian (state) language, and, ultimately, their patriotic feelings and sense of civic duty, play one of the first roles; 4) immediately complete the work on the new edition of“Ukrainian Spelling” and introduce it into the educational process of educational institutions of Ukraine of all levels and the media; 5) the issue of ensuring Ukrainian educational textbooks, video and audiovisual manuals, computerization, creating web pages of educational institutions and connecting them to the Internet, especially in rural areas, remains a priority for today. In the context of the transition to the information society, the inclusion of Ukraine in the globalizing world processes is particularly acute in the use of electronic technologies in the educational process on the Ukrainian-language basis.

Consequently, the current language situation in the field of education in Ukraine shows that only the declaration of the status of the Ukrainian language for its adoption in this area is not enough. Effective mechanisms for the formation and implementation of state language policy in the field of education are necessary. The consistent and systematic implementation of the tasks of the state language policy in the educational sphere should ensure free and non-conflict development of all available national and regional languages in Ukraine, create the necessary conditions for the establishment of the statehood of the Ukrainian language, the acquisition of its features of prestige, credibility and prospects.

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