EDUCATION OF STUDENT YOUTH AND THE PATERNALISTIC MODEL OF RELATIONSHIPS IN THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING SYSTEM OF UKRAINE IN THE 1972–1984 PERIODS

Abstract

The article presents a historical and pedagogical analysis of the educational system in vocational education and training (VET) institutions of Ukraine in the 1972–1984 periods, known in historiography as the era of "stagnation". The key features of organizing the educational process in conditions of intensified state control over the educational sector are considered, where VET was considered not only as a tool for training qualified personnel but also as a means of forming ideologically loyal, disciplined, and socially predictable youth. Particular attention is paid to the paternalistic model of relationships between educators and students, which involved providing young people with material and social benefits in exchange for conformity, adherence to official norms of behaviour, and active participation in public life. The mechanisms of educational influence used in the specified period are analyzed, including collective activities, mentoring, Komsomol organization, labour competitions, socially useful work, leisure activities, and the ritualization of ideological events. It is shown that these methods contributed to the development of students’ social responsibility, work motivation, and collectivism, but simultaneously constrained the formation of personal autonomy, critical thinking, and initiative. The dual nature of the paternalistic model is revealed: on the one hand, it ensured social support and stability; on the other, it cultivated dependence on external control and subordination to official doctrines.
The relevance of the study lies in identifying the historical roots of contemporary trends in Ukraine’s professional pre-tertiary education, which still partially retain elements of the former educational paradigm. Exploring the academic experience within the Soviet system allows for a deeper understanding of the potential of current educational interaction models, particularly in fostering civic consciousness, personal responsibility, and the adaptation of young people to new socio-economic realities.