The Council wants to change the NMT rules: mathematics may be removed from mandatory subjects

The Verkhovna Rada has registered an alternative bill No. 15254-1, which proposes to change the format of the national multi-subject test (NMT) during martial law. The document provides for reducing the number of mandatory subjects from three to two and removing mathematics from the mandatory part of the test.

This was reported by MP Yulia Hryshyna.

What is proposed to be changed

The bill was signed by 50 MPs from different parliamentary factions.

The authors of the initiative propose that within the NMT-2027, applicants should take:

two mandatory subjects – Ukrainian language and history of Ukraine;
one more subject – at the applicant’s choice.

Mathematics will cease to be mandatory, but will remain necessary for admission to technical, engineering and certain specialties.

Currently, the current NMT formula provides for three mandatory subjects:

Ukrainian language;
mathematics;
history of Ukraine;
and one elective subject.
Why MPs want to change the system

Yulia Grishina explains the need for changes with several reasons at once.

The first is the mass outflow of young people abroad. According to the MP, for many families, entering foreign universities today seems easier and more realistic than studying in Ukraine.

The second reason is large-scale educational losses due to the war.

Grishina refers to the data of the Rakuten Viber and EdEra survey:

91% of teachers reported a deterioration in their academic performance;
69% attributed this to stress;
54% to long-term online learning.

The third problem, the authors of the bill call security risks. Four subjects and many hours of testing in conditions of air raids can lead to the disruption of exams and additional psychological stress on schoolchildren.

They want to stimulate mathematics in a different way

At the same time, the initiators of the changes emphasize that they are not against mathematics as a subject.

According to Grishina, the problem of low results will not be solved by making the test mandatory.

Instead, she proposes:

to increase the weight of mathematics through admission coefficients;

to increase scholarships for students of technical specialties;

to expand state orders;

to introduce internship programs for future engineers.

Let us recall that the current format of the NMT with three mandatory subjects was approved by the Verkhovna Rada in the fall of 2024.