National orientation of education in the legacy of Stepan Siropolka

Abstract

The article focuses on the national orientation of education in the legacy of Stepan Siropolko. His role as a historian of pedagogy, public figure and book critic is outlined. The article highlights the multi-vector activity of Stepan Siropolko at home and abroad, as well as his life and creative path. The author analyses the main works of Stepan Siropolko on the national orientation of education and publications about him. It is found that in addition to teaching, Stepan Siropolko served as the chairman of the Ukrainian Society of Book Supporters, whose main goal was to promote the development of Ukrainian books and Ukrainian culture. The article focuses on the monograph ‘History of Education in Ukraine’ by Stepan Siropolko. It is found that he attached great importance to the problems of national education and upbringing of students. He focused on teaching students in schools in their native language, and the national orientation of education should be linked to the history, traditions and culture of the Ukrainian people. It is established that the main principles of Stepan Siropolko’s ‘Single School in Ukraine Project’ were as follows: a single school is a national school, a single school is an educational school, a single school is a labour school and a school that is close to life. The article also focuses on the activities of Stepan Siropolko as the head of the Ukrainian Society of Book Supporters, and his promotion of the development of Ukrainian books and Ukrainian culture. It is revealed that the Ukrainian emigration book represented publishing products in Europe. It is established that multi-vector activity at home and abroad contributed to the emergence of a number of works dedicated to the national orientation of education, in particular, such as «National Education», which was published in the newspaper «Uchytelskyi Holos». He emphasised that national education is recognised by educators around the world, but the Ukrainian nation has to fight for the right to a native school. It is revealed that Stepan Siropolko was convinced that schooling should be conducted in the mother tongue.