A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SCHOOL EDUCATION IN UKRAINE AND FLANDERS (BELGIUM)

Abstract

The article addresses the pressing issue of comparing the school education systems of Ukraine and the Flemish part of Belgium in the context of reforming the national educational sector. The relevance of the study is driven by the need to take into account successful international experiences to improve the structure and content of Ukrainian education. The aim of the research is to analyze the main structural features of the Belgian school education system and to identify its advantages and disadvantages in comparison with the Ukrainian model. The methodological basis of the study includes comparative analysis and the descriptive method. The paper emphasizes the analysis of official statistical sources from both Ukraine and Belgium. Attention is focused on the distribution of schools in Belgium into secular and Catholic categories, the role of primary education in shaping a student’s educational trajectory, the principle of school choice, the diversity of educational tracks, and their impact on future career orientation. Statistical data show significantly higher academic performance among Belgian students. The study confirms that the Belgian model has strong features, such as early career orientation and a wide variety of educational tracks, but also poses challenges by requiring children to make crucial decisions at a very young age, which may not always be psychologically effective. The Ukrainian approach is highlighted for its advantage of postponing the final choice of a professional path, giving students more time for a well-considered decision.