Butenko: Maths should remain a required subject on NMT

Ukrainian Minister of Education and Science Andriy Butenko asserts that mathematics should continue as a mandatory subject on the National Multidisciplinary Test (NMT). The conversation should concentrate solely on the subject's extent and intricacy. This matter has ignited a significant public debate and ongoing dialogues. Butenko firmly believes that mathematics ought to retain its place within the unified examination.

However, the extent of the subject matter can be debated, as can the difficulty level of the questions and their scoring. For the time being, mathematics appears to be an essential component of the national multi-subject test.

Butenko conveyed these sentiments during a Tuesday press conference in Kyiv, addressing the all-Ukrainian conference Simpneva-2026 – Education is everyone's business. He further disclosed that he had received an order from the president to reconfigure the NMT, making it more adaptable, lessening student pressure, and offering the choice to retake the test. Consequently, Butenko pledged to collaborate closely with colleagues to adhere to the president's directives and render the NMT beneficial and less taxing for students.

Earlier this month, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation, led by Yulia Hryshyna, chair of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, introduced a bill (No. 15254-1) in early June. This legislation aimed to diminish the number of subjects on the NMT in 2027 and transform mathematics from a required to an elective subject.