Scandal surrounding the new history textbook of Ukraine: why educators and parents opposed it.


There was outrage on social media regarding the new history textbook of Ukraine for the 11th grade. Critics accused the authors of politicizing the material and distorting historical facts favorable to the authorities. In particular, they are unhappy with the section dedicated to modern history of Ukraine and the Russian invasion from 2022 to 2024. This is seen as an attempt to downplay the failures of the authorities and emphasize the role of the current president. The authors of the textbook reject the accusations and urge critics to read the textbook before expressing their evaluations.
Critics also point to the positive portrayal of the 'Great Construction' program and the absence of mentions of grievances against the authorities during the invasion. However, one history teacher explains that historians typically do not discuss events that occurred less than five years ago due to a lack of objectivity and transparency. The publishing house 'Ranok' claims that their textbooks have always been written by truthful historians without political influence.
A separate problem became the psychological readiness of students to study the topic of war when they themselves are participants in this war. A history teacher shared her experience that this is a topic that is difficult to discuss with children who have personally experienced the events, and it evokes strong emotions in students from various regions of Ukraine.
Currently, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is not commenting on the situation with the textbook. A lively discussion about teaching the history of war continues in teaching collectives and public spaces.
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