Teachers' Forum supported the teaching of spiritual and moral courses in schools

This was stated in the final resolution by the participants of the All-Ukrainian Forum "Education based on values" (the second all-Ukrainian Congress of Teachers on Spiritual and Moral Education).

The event was held on May 5, 2021, on the initiative of the public council for cooperation with churches and religious organizations under the Ministry of education and science of Ukraine, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, as well as other co-organizers, the Institute for Religious Freedom reports.

Teachers called on the parents' community, religious communities and school leaders to actively promote spiritual and moral courses approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, which can be studied at the expense of hours of the variable component of the curriculum. In particular, in the educational programs "Fundamentals of Christian ethics", "Biblical History and Christian Ethics", "Christian Ethics in Ukrainian Culture", "School of Married Life", "Fundamentals of Family".

"The introduction of spiritual and moral academic disciplines is the basis for the personality formation, and therefore the present and future of Ukraine. We must state that, unfortunately, the urgent problem of our time is the lack of spirituality and morality in society. Our people and our children need the word of God, unity, peace and mercy," Head of the UGCC Sviatoslav, Chairman of the AUCCRO, said in a congratulatory message to the forum participants.

Currently, only 13.8% of Ukrainian schoolchildren are covered by teaching spiritual and moral courses. The forum resolution emphasizes that in the context of decentralization, legislative consolidation of academic autonomy of educational institutions, the role of local self-government bodies, the management of educational institutions and parents in ensuring education based on spiritual and moral values, and teaching relevant courses is significantly increasing.