Minister of Education Oksen Lisovyi spoke in support of the draft law that proposes to cancel the right to deferment from mobilization for male students who have reached the age of 30 and are in the process of obtaining inconsistent higher education. According to Lisovyi, such fictitious education negatively affects the quality of education.
"My position is simple: education should never be about imitation and loopholes. Instead, education, and especially higher education, should be about a conscious choice and the process of learning. It's never too late to study, however, entering a university should not become a formality just to get some advantages and bonuses," the minister said on Facebook.
Lisovyi expressed concern about the tendency to use university enrollment as a legal, but "not entirely honest" way to avoid mobilization.
He noted that in 2022, the number of male students over the age of 25 increased by 55,000, of whom 33,000 were enrolled in master's programs.
Lisovyi emphasized that such "loopholes" in the education system lead to the phenomenon of fictitious learning, which negatively affects the quality of education in general.
The registered draft law in the Verkhovna Rada proposes to resolve this problem, in particular, by eliminating the deferral of mobilization for men over the age of 30 who enter an educational institution to obtain inconsistent higher education. At the same time, the deferral will remain in place for male students under the age of 30 who are enrolled in a consistent program, as well as for teachers whose employment in educational institutions is at least 0.75 rates.
Lisovyi summarized that the right to education is guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine, but also emphasized that protecting the country's independence and territorial integrity is the duty of every citizen.
"Looking for loopholes to allegedly realize one right and avoid a duty is not about honesty or dignity," the minister said.
