The staff of Oleksandr Dovzhenko Hlukhiv National Pedagogical University sadness begins the academic year… On September 3, 2025, Mykola Samiylovych Vashulenko passed away. He was a prominent Ukrainian scholar, Academician of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, Honorary Professor of Oleksandr Dovzhenko Hlukhiv National Pedagogical University, founder of modern primary education in Ukraine, and Honorary Citizen of Hlukhiv.

His name is written in golden letters in the history of the national school system, pedagogy, and primary language and literature education. Mykola Samiylovych was the author of fundamental scholarly works, curricula, and textbooks, including the renowned “Bukvar” (Primer), which has been used to teach generations of Ukrainian schoolchildren. His scholarly and pedagogical work became a model of dedicated service to the cause of educating and nurturing young people.

His wisdom and humanity will forever remain in the grateful memory of colleagues, postgraduate and doctoral students, pupils, teachers and all those fortunate enough to have been close to this bright, kind, and sincere person with a huge heart…

A few official words… Mykola Samiylovych Vashulenko was a Ukrainian linguist, scholar, and methodologist. He held a Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences degree (1992) and the title of Professor (1993). He was a full member of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine since 1995 and served as Chief Researcher at the Institute of Pedagogy of the NAPS of Ukraine. He was an Honorary Citizen of Hlukhiv (2008) and a Professor of the Department of Theory and Methods of Primary Education at Oleksandr Dovzhenko Hlukhiv National Pedagogical University (until 2015 – 03. 09. 2025).

He was awarded the Certificate of Honor of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine; the Certificate of Honor of the Ministry of Education of the USSR “For Merits in the Development of Pedagogical Science and in Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Pedagogy of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine” (1986); the Bronze Medal of the VDNKh for the „Bukvar“ (Primer) for preparatory classes (1986); the Certificate of Honor of the Ministry of Education of the Ukrainian SSR (1987); and the honorary badges “Excellence in Education of Ukraine”, “Excellence in Education of the USSR” (1982), “K.D. Ushinsky” (2006), “Volodymyr Monomakh”, “For Scientific Achievements” (2006) and “A.S. Makarenko”.

He was awarded the Sumy Regional A.S. Makarenko Award in the category “Higher Education Institution” (2009), the Hryhoriy Skovoroda Medal (2011), and the distinction of the Ukrainian Registered Cossacks “Bronze Cossack Cross” III degree (2011). He was listed on the Honor Board “Pedagogical Pride of Sumy Region” (2012). In 2016, he was conferred the title of Honorary Professor of Oleksandr Dovzhenko Hlukhiv National Pedagogical University. He was also included in the book “Scientists of Ukraine – the Elite of the State” (2019).

He authored over 210 scholarly works, including „Methods of Teaching the Ukrainian Language“ ( in co-authored), methodological manuals such as „Orthoepy and Orthography in Grades 1–3“, „Improving the Content and Methods of Teaching Ukrainian in Grades 1–4“, „Literacy Instruction in Grade 1“, „Ukrainian Language and Speech in Primary School“, as well as textbooks for Grades 1– 4 in the Ukrainian language.

The name of Mykola Samiylovych is closely associated with the development of primer studies in Ukraine. The Bukvar, co-authored by him and N. F. Skrypchenko in 1978, has gone through 30 editions. „This book belongs to the fundamental national values and has remained the most important textbook for first graders in Ukraine for over 30 years“, said Vasyl Kremen, President of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences, in 2011, referring to the Bukvar created by Mykola Samiylovych in collaboration with Nadiya Skrypchenko. The Bukvar lives and evolves alongside the students it teaches, enduring through the years and historical upheavals. It continues to improve and gain a new vision. The latest edition 2023 includes the most modern innovative multimedia applications.

The scholar was one of the authors of the modern regulatory framework for primary education in Ukraine: the Concept of Language Education, the criteria for assessing students’ academic achievements, the State Standard of Primary Education (2011, 2018), curricula, and teaching methodologies for the Ukrainian language. He chaired the specialized academic council for defending PhD dissertations at the Institute of Pedagogy of the NAPS of Ukraine, was a member of specialized academic councils for dissertation defenses at Oleksandr Dovzhenko Hlukhiv National Pedagogical University, and served on the editorial boards of journals such as „Primary School“, „Pedagogy and Psychology“, and other professional publications.

Mykola Samiylovych was an honorary citizen of two cities – Kotsyubynske (near Kyiv), and Hlukhiv in the Sumy region. He earned these titles through his active contribution to their development, particularly in raising the level of education.

The sources of spiritual strength that inspired him throughout his life began in the village of Zhovtneve, Borodianka District, Kyiv Region, where he was born into a peasant family three weeks before the outbreak of the war. His childhood fell during the difficult war years. His father died at the front, and his mother raised three children on her own. He did well at school, though he was not an outstanding student and did not always display exemplary behavior. Yet, even in his childhood, he firmly decided to become a teacher and specifically, in particulart primary school teacher.

The path of Mykola Samiylovych toward outstanding pedagogy started right here in Hlukhiv.

At the age of sixteen, he entered the Hlukhiv Pedagogical Institute (now Oleksandr Dovzhenko Hlukhiv National Pedagogical University) at the Faculty of Pedagogy and Methods of Primary Education, thanks not only to his own abilities but also to the prayers of his grandmother, his father’s mother… As Mykola Samiylovych always said: „Hlukhiv became my second homeland; since then, I have never broken my connection with my alma mater…”

He graduated from the Faculty of Primary School Teacher Training at the Hlukhiv State Pedagogical Institute in 1961. It was a pivotal moment in shaping the identity of the future scholar and methodologist. This period defined the main focus of his scientific work: methods of teaching the Ukrainian language in primary school from orthoepy to the overall structure of the native language curriculum. This focus is consistently reflected in both his biographical records and his dissertation work: his Candidate of Sciences degree (1976), which addressed orthoepy and orthography for younger students, and his Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences degree (1992), which focused on the theory and practice of teaching the Ukrainian language in the four-year primary school.

From 1961 to 1972, he worked as a primary school teacher at Shepetivka Boarding School (Khmelnytskyi Region), Bucha Boarding School, and Irpin Secondary School No. 2 (Kyiv Region).

From 1972 to 1995, he worked at the Research Institute of Pedagogy of Ukraine in various positions: Junior Researcher in the Department of Primary Education, Senior Researcher, Head of the Department of Primary Education, Head of the Laboratory of Primary Education Methods, and Deputy Director for Research at the Research Institute of Pedagogy of Ukraine. In December 1995, M. S. Vashulenko, already an academician, was elected Chief Scientific Secretary of the Presidium of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, and since 2003 he has served as Chief Researcher of the Laboratory of Primary Education at the Institute of Pedagogy of the APS of Ukraine.

„…While working at the Institute of Pedagogy, and for ten years chairing the jury of the ‘Teacher of the Year’ competition in the category of ‘Primary Education,’ I visited educational institutions all over Ukraine. But there is no place like Hlukhiv Pedagogical University.It is truly a temple of education and science…“ – said Mykola Samiylovych.

After working at the Institute of Pedagogy and serving as a scientific supervisor at the NAPS of Ukraine.

Mykola Samiylovych Vashulenko returned to Hlukhiv as an eminent scholar and methodologist and began shaping a new educational environment at his alma mater for training future primary school teachers. He served as a Professor and Head of the Department of Theory and Methods of Primary Education and was a member of the specialized academic council for dissertation defenses.

It was in Hlukhiv that Professor Vashulenko’s scientific school was institutionalized. Originally founded in 1989, it was officially approved as a university scientific school by the Academic Council of Hlukhiv National Pedagogical University named after O. Dovzhenko on December 29, 2016 (Protocol No. 7) under the title: “Theoretical and Methodological Foundations of a Comprehensive Approach to the Professional Training of Primary School Teachers.”

The scholar trained an entire generation of students who went on to excel in scientific and pedagogical work. At his alma mater, he established a scientific school that continues to operate successfully even under the challenging conditions of wartime. Under his guidance and mentorship, 37 candidates of sciences and 7 doctors of sciences were trained (for Hlukhiv University alone, 8 of them were candidates of pedagogical sciences: V. O. Sobko, V. A. Kalish, L. V. Luchkina, H. S. Demydchyk, O. O. Vyshnyk, O. O. Shramko (Vyshnyk), and  T. F. Zenchenko), as well as thousands of primary school teachers for all of Ukraine.

Scientific research conducted under the guidance and participation of Academician M. S. Vashulenko proved to be crucial for updating the content of teaching the Ukrainian language and reading in primary school. A particularly important role in the practical implementation of these research results is played by the series of Ukrainian language and reading textbooks for grades 1–4, including Ukrainian Language. Bukvar (2023) and Ukrainian Language and Reading for grades 2, 3, and 4 (2019–2024). Under his leadership, a concept for the professional training of teachers was developed, based on the principles of a competency-based approach and oriented toward practice-focused education.

The work of Professor M. S. Vashulenko’s scientific school forms the foundation for training future primary school teachers. It not only meets modern educational needs but also defines new directions for the development of pedagogical science and practice. Its achievements serve as a powerful resource for implementing Ukraine’s Education Development Strategy and building the New Ukrainian School as well as a school of competencies, dignity, national identity, and democratic values.