The relevance of this study stems from the need to rethink Ukraine’s state education policy in the context of war, demographic and human resource losses, the destruction of infrastructure, and preparations for post-war reconstruction, taking into account the needs of communities, the labour market, defence and security. The aim of the article was to analyse the current state of Ukrainian education in the context of European benchmarks, constitutional guarantees of the right to education, the challenges of wartime and the tasks of post-war recovery, as well as to identify priority areas for its stabilisation and development. The study employed methods of analysis, comparison, generalisation and interpretation of regulatory documents, as well as analysis of statistical and sociological data on the state of the education network, staffing levels and the material and technical resources of educational institutions. The main findings of the study were the identification of a number of contradictions between the declared European benchmarks for education policy and the practice of its implementation in Ukraine. It was argued that the reduction in the school network, particularly in rural, small and frontline communities, may lead to a deepening of educational inequality, a weakening of the social resilience of these areas and complications for the return of the population once the war has ended. It was demonstrated that the reform of specialised secondary education requires not a mechanical consolidation of institutions, but rather the coordination of the activities of schools, vocational lyceums and colleges, taking into account the demographic situation, transport accessibility, staffing capacity and the needs of regional development. It was established that vocational and professional pre-higher education remain insufficiently integrated into the overall framework of educational reforms, despite their important role in training specialists for the economy, communities and post-war reconstruction. Particular attention was paid to the staffing crisis in education, specifically the shortage of teaching staff, the low attractiveness of teaching qualifications, and the inadequate social protection of teachers and lecturers. The report analysed issues relating to the material and technical support for the educational process, digitalisation, innovative teaching technologies and the need to support domestic production of teaching materials. In the field of higher education, the risks of excessive regulation, the formalisation of scientific and pedagogical activities, the lack of genuine autonomy for universities, and the absence of systematic development of research universities were outlined. The practical value of this work lies in the development of proposals for preserving the educational network and formulating a long-term strategy for the development of education in Ukraine
specialised education; staffing of educational institutions; university autonomy; post-war reconstruction; economic development