WASHINGTON – Dr. Serhiy Kvit, senior adviser to the president of Ukraine on education, visited Washington, where he held a briefing on the current state of education in Ukraine and discussed achievements during his tenure as minister of education and science, and prospects for further progress on short- and long-term reforms.
Dr. Kvit is a distinguished leader in the field of education reform in Ukraine and is highly respected by civil society activists and government reformers alike.
Dr. Kvit’s advocacy on behalf of education in Ukraine was severely tested when he directly challenged the anti-Ukrainian policies of corruption and authoritarianism of the Yanukovych era’s Minister of Education and Science Dmytro Tabachnyk. In November 2010, Dr. Kvit was the only university rector who dared to challenge Tabachnyk’s draft law “On Higher Education.” The opposition movement that grew around Dr. Kvit’s initiative can be considered the spark that led to the new progressive law on education, developed by the academic community and ultimately approved by the Parliament of Ukraine in 2014.
During his visit to Washington in May, Dr. Kvit presented his most recent book, “The Battlefront of Civilizations: Education in Ukraine” (Kyiv Mohyla Press 2015), a comprehensive and concise accounting of the role of education during the social and political transformations in Ukraine since 2008 up to the present, at the Library of Congress.
At meetings in Washington, Dr. Kvit explained that the focus of his efforts as minister was to raise the quality of Ukrainian science and education to an internationally competitive level. Under his leadership, laws were enacted on higher education and science and research; and basic draft laws were developed on vocational education and the development of research and innovations. As minister, he oversaw the evacuation of 19 universities and 10 academic institutions from the occupied territories of Ukraine.
Dr. Kvit expressed confidence in his successor, Dr. Liliya Hrynevych, who worked with him and a team of pedagogues and educators on the aforementioned laws. According to Dr. Kvit, “a seamless transition took place from my tenure as minister of education and science to that of Dr. Liliya Hrynevych, a close friend and colleague.”
According to Dr. Kvit, the main problem now facing Ukraine is not the economic crisis or even the war with Russia. Rather, it is the systemic corruption inherited from the Soviet era. Therefore, overcoming this legacy, and leading to comprehensive economic and societal reforms, must be grounded in qualitative changes in education and science.
Dr. Kvit stated, “An educated nation is able to think critically in order to establish civic mechanisms to compel progressive policies and thereby effectively and democratically govern the country.” He added that accelerating reforms of science and education in Ukraine within the context of the current state of Ukrainian society, as well as the new post-Maidan political situation are the main challenges Ukrainian educators are working on, and these are the areas where they need focus and assistance from friends and colleagues in the U.S.
Marta Farion
At the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (from left) are: Borys Potapenko, Victor Chumak, Anatoli Pinchuk, Orest Deychakiwsky (CSCE senior staff), Victor Wowk, Victor Halasiuk and Serhiy Kvit.
Dr. Kvit’s visit coincided with that of a delegation of three members of the Verkhovna Rada: Victor Halasiuk, chair of the Committee on Industrial Policy and Business, and co-chair of the Parliamentary Group on Inter-Parliamentary Relations with the United States; Victor Chumak, first vice-chair of the Committee on Combatting Organized Crime and Corruption, and co-chair of Parliamentary Group on Inter-Parliamentary Relations with the United States; Dr. Victor Wowk, vice-chair of the Committee on Foreign Relations; and Yevhen Rybchynsky, member of the Parliamentary Committee on Veterans and a veteran of Ukraine’s armed forces. Together with Dr. Kvit, they held a number of joint briefings with governmental and NGO representatives.
Dr. Kvit’s focus was on priorities for education in Ukraine, gains made during and after the Revolution of Dignity, and the present trajectory in education and science. Dr. Kvit noted that overwhelming majorities in Parliament have supported the passage of the Ministry of Education’s reform agenda.
The parliamentary delegation discussed the economic, humanitarian, military and political situation in Ukraine, including the fight against corruption. An important focus during their presentations was opposition in the Verkhovna Rada and society to the Minsk protocols that are being interpreted by Russia, and incongruously even by Ukraine’s partners, to require local elections and autonomy in the occupied territories of the Donbas before all troops leave; before Russia’s local surrogates are disarmed; before criminal acts, including foreign war crimes against the Ukrainian people are investigated and the perpetrators called to justice; and before reparations are established for Russia to pay for its military aggression and wanton acts causing death and destruction. Moreover, Crimea cannot be separated from any peace negotiations to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its internationally recognized borders. As the national deputies noted, there can be no elections held under the shadow of the guns of Russian aggressors or their surrogates.
The Ukrainian representatives held briefings, collectively and separately, at the Atlantic Council, Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Library of Congress, American Foreign Policy Council, National Democratic Institute, U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, and U.S.-Ukraine Business Council. On Capitol Hill they met with leaders of the Ukraine Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, House Democracy Partnership, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Consultations were conducted with senior advisers to Vice-President Joe Biden, and officials at the departments of State, Commerce, Treasury and others.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, Dr. Kvit visited the Ukrainian American Youth Association’s annual “Zlet” gathering in Ellenville, N.Y. Dr. Kvit joined over 500 young people age 6-18 and thousands of their parents, family and friends from 15 UAYA chapters in the U.S. and Canada for two days of friendly competition in sports and knowledge of the Ukrainian language, culture, history and current events.
Dr. Kvit held separate town hall meetings with grade school and high school age UAYA youth, as well as with their parents and other adults. The highlight was the presentation of medals by Dr. Kvit to the first-, second- and third-place winners of the Ukrainian language, culture, history and current events competition. Dr. Kvit’s participation was made possible by the good offices of UAYA National President George Mykytyn and ODFFU National President Stepan Kaczurak.
Dr. Kvit’s visit to the U.S. was organized by the International Council in Support of Ukraine, Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America (KMFA), Center for U.S.-Ukrainian Relations, and Organization for the Defense of Four Freedoms for Ukraine (ODFFU), with the participation of Mykola Hryckowian and Marta Farion. Sponsors included KMFA, ODFFU, Ukrainian Congress Committee of America – Illinois Division, BCU Foundation and League of Ukrainian Canadians.