ENVIRONMENTALLY ORIENTED APPROACHES IN THE MECHANISMS FOR MANAGING THE QUALITY OF GENERAL SECONDARY EDUCATION IN UKRAINE IN THE CONTEXT OF TRANSFORMATIONAL PROCESSES

Abstract

The article substantiates the relevance and systematizes the key problems of implementing environmentally oriented approaches in the mechanisms for managing the quality of general secondary education in Ukraine under contemporary transformational conditions. The theoretical and methodological foundations for integrating sustainable development principles into internal quality assurance systems of educational institutions are determined. The impact of decentralization reform, implementation of the New Ukrainian School concept, digitalization of management processes, financial transformations, and challenges caused by martial law on shaping the ecological dimension of the educational environment is analyzed. It is argued that the quality of general secondary education should be interpreted not only through academic achievements and organizational efficiency, but also through the institution’s capacity to form students’ environmental culture, ensure resource efficiency, strengthen environmental responsibility, etc. The ecological component is considered an integral characteristic of educational quality rather than an additional or isolated educational activity. The directions for improving strategic and operational management of educational institutions are identified, including the development of environmental indicators within internal quality systems. The expediency of adapting business quality management models to the educational context is substantiated. Within these approaches environmental goals are integrated into institutional strategy, resource use is treated as a management object, continuous improvement practices foster ecological culture, and flexible management cycles enhance institutional resilience under uncertainty. The proposed framework, based on the analysis of Ukrainian regulatory documents and monitoring reports of the State Service for Education Quality, supports regulatory compliance and may be practically applied by school leaders and local authorities when integrating environmental indicators into institutional development strategies.