The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine held an open expert dialogue focused on the revitalization of physical education. This event was jointly organized with the Small Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, JuniorS, UNIT.City, and the NGO "Education 360" as part of the "Education for Life" initiative, which supports the NUS reform. The Ministry gathered experts to discuss new approaches to teaching physical culture.

The event was opened by Nadia Kuzmychova, the Deputy Minister of Education and Science, who emphasized the need to adapt physical education to contemporary challenges such as the ongoing war and the effects of the pandemic. She noted that the outcomes of the meeting would be integrated into the educational concepts of the "Physical Culture" sector, to be published in spring 2025. The pilot implementation of the updated curriculum will start in the fall of 2025 for 5th grades across three educational areas: arts, technology, and natural sciences.

The program featured two panel discussions. The first, themed “The Goal of Physical Education”, was moderated by Oleksandr Pedan, who conducted a Q&A session with the participation of Deputy Minister of Education Nadia Kuzmychova and Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Serhii Tymofeiev.

“Physical education in schools is not just a lesson; it’s the foundation for a healthy future. It should be about engaging every student in movement, regardless of their ability to meet standards. Education must consider individuality and highlight each child's strengths, which aligns with the spirit of the NUS reform,” emphasized Nadia Kuzmychova.

The second panel discussion focused on “The Graduate Profile: How Should Physical Education Prepare Children for Life in a Changing World?”. Participants included:

• Kyrylo Yevtushenko — managing partner at Unit.city;
• Oleksandr Sekirin — founder of the All Stars Dance School;
• Maria Pavlichuk — co-founder of the NGO "JuniorS".

Experts highlighted the importance of a practical approach to physical education to ensure students learn how to remain active, adopt healthy habits, and find the sports or activities that inspire them.

After the panel discussions, forum participants formed groups to work on specific solutions for updating physical education and shared their professional experiences.

The educational circle for physical culture is part of a broader consultation process involving surveys of educators, parents, and students. The Ministry plans to conduct more such meetings across all educational sectors, which can be joined via the website educationforlife.mon.gov.ua in the section “For Whom?”.