OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities says he is actively engaged on education issues in Ukraine

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Lamberto Zannier, on 9 October 2017, said he is actively engaged with the government of Ukraine on how best to accommodate the ethnic and linguistic diversity of society.

The High Commissioner is paying particular attention to inter-ethnic relations in the current context, in which Ukraine is undergoing complex transformations against the backdrop of the conflict in and around the country.

The High Commissioner has taken note of the concerns expressed by national minority communities and their “kin states” that the new Law on Education may lead to the regression of national minorities’ rights in the sphere of education.

The HCNM has also taken note of the Ukrainian government’s assessment that the low level of state-language knowledge among school graduates in some minority populated regions impedes their effective participation in public life.

The successive High Commissioners have consistently recommended that OSCE participating States adopt a balanced approach that safeguards national minorities’ rights to preserve and promote their language and identity, and, at the same time, promotes the integration of society through the teaching and learning of the state language.

Prior to the adoption of the Law on Education, the office of the High Commissioner encouraged the authorities and minority communities to engage in consultations and explore various options, including multilingual education, to help strike this balance.

Since the Law entered into force, Zannier has been focusing on how to avoid the risk of possible inter-ethnic tensions and address complications in Ukraine’s relations with its neighbours.

The High Commissioner has offered his assistance to the government of Ukraine to ensure that the implementation of the Law on Education and planned legislation in this area respects Ukraine’s international commitments, and is in line with the balanced approach and principles outlined in The Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities and The Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies.