Ukraine launches national strategy to transform preschool education
The country's education ministry first committed to champion young children's learning at an Act For Early Years event hosted by Theirworld.
Ukraine’s government is following through on a bold commitment to transform early childhood education that was first announced at a Theirworld-hosted event to launch the Act For Early Years campaign.
The education ministry has revealed major plans to increase access to learning for the youngest children as part of efforts to rebuild the war-torn country and prepare for the future. An alliance of partners including the European Union, UNICEF, UNESCO and the World Bank will support the initiative.
The first pledge to reform pre-primary education came in 2023 at the Act For Early Years event held during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Dr Yevhen Kudriavets, First Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Education and Science, said at the time: “Ukraine is committed to be an Act for Early Years champion – even during a crisis. We are committed to reforming our system and increasing the coverage for three to five-year-old children across the country.”
Theirworld also announced at the event that we would partner with Ukraine’s government to support a national early childhood education and development initiative to give children the best start in life.
Following that initial collaboration, Ukraine’s new Strategic Framework for Early Childhood Education will be officially launched at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome in July. The alliance of partners, which also includes the government of Finland and the Global Partnership for Education, will support the development and implementation of the framework.
Theirworld President Justin van Fleet said: “It’s great to see the leadership of Dr Yevhen Kudriavets and our friends in the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine coming together with UNICEF, the World Bank and UNESCO for the early years.
“Ukraine was part of the Act For Early Years launch events hosted by Theirworld during the United Nations General Assembly in 2023 and are making incredible strides as a champion putting early childhood front and centre.”
Preschool education is the foundation from which the country’s recovery begins.
Anastasiia Konovalova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine
Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, more than 150,000 children have been unable to attend preschool in person. The conflict has also destroyed or damaged large numbers of schools and other parts of the early learning infrastructure.
Announcing the Strategic Framework for Early Childhood Education, Dr Kudriavets said: “The transformation of early childhood education in Ukraine has begun. For the government, this will serve as a roadmap for reform. For partners, a clear investment plan. It marks the starting point for a long-awaited systemic transformation of early years education in Ukraine. This sector is essential for rebuilding the country, its human capital, economy and future.”
Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine, said: “Investing in early childhood education today is imperative to ensure the youngest children grow up to realise their full potential and play a key role in driving progress for Ukraine’s future.”
Theirworld has also delivered more than 70,000 laptops to displaced Ukrainian children and teachers in partnership with Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry for Digital Transformation and the Olena Zelenska Foundation.