EDUCATIONAL REFORMS OF THE 1950s–1960sIN THE EPISTOLARY LEGACY OF VASYL SUKHOMLYNSKYI

Abstract

This article examines Vasyl Sukhomlynskyi’s views on the educational reforms of the 1950s–1960s as reflected in his correspondence. The study analyzes the teacher’s letters to officials, colleagues, scholars, and foreign correspondents, in which he expressed critical remarks regarding the educational policies of the USSR and the Ukrainian SSR, and assessed the anticipated consequences of the 1958 “Law on Schools,” including the reform of evening education, the reduction of primary school duration, and the expansion of the boarding school system. Sukhomlynskyi consistently defended the principles of humanism, the preservation of the family’s leading role in raising children, the gradual nature of reform processes, and equal opportunities for education in both urban and rural areas. His position significantly differed from official trends toward educational standardization and overloading students; instead, he emphasized an individual approach and the formation of a holistic, well-rounded personality. Many of Sukhomlynskyi’s ideas resonate with the challenges of contemporary school reform, making this study relevant and allowing for a deeper understanding of the risks and opportunities in educational transformation.