Between Reforms and Ideology: teacher training in the Khmelnytskyi Region in the mid-1950s – early 1960s

Abstract

The aim of the article is to examine the specifics of teacher training in the Khmelnytskyi region in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s under the conditions of educational reforms and party-ideological control. The research methodology is based on a combination of general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and specific historical approaches (chronological and comparative), which enabled a comprehensive analysis of changes in the field of teacher education under conditions of socio-political liberalization. The scientific novelty lies in the focus on the regional dimension of teacher training and the first-time systematization of information about the activities of pedagogical institutions in Khmelnytskyi region during this period. Conclusions. In the mid-1950s – early 1960s, teacher education in the Khmelnytskyi region developed within a contradictory environment of educational modernization and persistent ideological pressure. On the one hand, political liberalization encouraged the expansion of educational institutions, improvement of material and technical resources, growth in the number of faculties, enhancement of teaching staff qualifications, and intensification of research activities. On the other hand, the dominance of party-state ideology significantly restricted academic freedom, shaped the content of education, and tightly controlled the student environment. Pedagogical and industrial internships remained a crucial component of training, contributing to the development of practical skills. However, problems with student housing, funding, and staff retention persisted. Career guidance efforts helped to overcome regional imbalances in student recruitment. Overall, teacher training during this period was a complex process occurring at the intersection of educational reforms, socio-economic transformations, and political control.