The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine hosted an open expert dialogue to discuss the modernization of physical education. This event was organized in partnership with the Small Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, JuniorS, UNIT.City, and the NGO «Education 360» as part of the policy «Education for Life», which supports the NUSH reform. The Ministry gathered specialists to deliberate on enhancing the teaching approaches in physical education.

The event commenced with a speech by Nadia Kuzmychova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, who emphasized the importance of adapting physical education to current challenges such as the ongoing war and the pandemic's aftermath. She noted that the outcomes of the meeting would be incorporated into the educational concepts for the field of «Physical Culture», which are scheduled for publication in spring 2025. The pilot implementation of the updated educational content will begin in the fall of 2025 for fifth graders in three fields: arts, technology, and natural sciences. Additionally, workshops and laboratories for primary schools will be updated within this policy.

The program included two panel discussions. The first one, titled «The Goal of Physical Education», was moderated by Oleksandr Pedan, who led a Q&A session with teachers featuring the Deputy Minister of Education and Science Nadia Kuzmychova and the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Serhiy Tymofeev.

«Physical education in schools is not just a lesson; it’s the foundation of a healthy future. It should be about engaging every student in movement, not merely meeting quantitative standards. Education must consider individuality and highlight each child's strengths, which aligns with the spirit of the NUSH reform. When we talk about physical education, we talk about nurturing individuals who value their health and understand their bodies,» stated Nadia Kuzmychova.

The second panel discussion focused on the theme «The Portrait of a Graduate: How Should Physical Education Prepare Students for Life in a Changing World?». Participants in the discussion included:

• Kyrylo Yevtushenko – managing partner at Unit.city;
• Oleksandr Sekirin – founder of the «All Stars» Dance School;
• Maria Pavlichuk – co-founder of the NGO «JuniorS».

Experts stressed the significance of a practical approach to physical education, ensuring that students acquire knowledge on how to remain active in today’s world, cultivate lifelong healthy habits, and discover the activities or sports that inspire them.

Following the panel discussions, forum participants broke into groups to work on specific solutions regarding the enhancement of physical education and shared their professional experiences.

The physical education consultation circle is part of a broader consultation process that includes surveys of educators, parents, and students. The Ministry plans to hold several more such meetings across various educational fields, which can be joined via the website educationforlife.mon.gov.ua in the section «For whom?».