ESTDEV supports the "orphan" of the Ukrainian education sector — noncompulsory education

According to UNICEF, every tenth educational building in Ukraine has been destroyed or closed during the war because of the lack of a bomb shelter. The combined effects of the war and the COVID-19 pandemic mean Ukrainian children have lost years of critical education. According to the latest data, nearly four million children have had their education disrupted, and about 600,000 cannot attend school at all. Ukraine has made restoring the school system one of its priorities, but there are not enough resources to address all areas of education.

Although early childhood and vocational education are not compulsory, they are vital to rebuilding Ukraine so adults who have lost their livelihoods and parents with young children can quickly return to the labour market.

The Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) is putting together a multi-year educational programme for Ukraine, which will support areas not mandatory under Ukrainian law — early childhood and vocational education.

Kristi Kulu, ESTDEV’s programme manager for Education, said supporting education reforms means investing in Ukraine's future. "Promoting the education of young children and adults in Ukraine gives them the stability, skills and hope they need to build their country’s future. As our Ukrainian colleagues say, childhood cannot be postponed," Kulu said.

Early childhood education and the Ovruch kindergarten

In Ukraine, the Estonian-built Ovruch kindergarten is called a local gem. Margus Gering, ESTDEV’s head of cooperation and development for Ukraine, said that the kindergarten’s construction, teacher training, and modern educational technology made other institutions envious, but in a good way. 

"Other kindergartens also want training and new ideas on how to boost children's development in kindergarten. These wishes reached the Ministry of Education of Ukraine, and today we are in discussions with the Deputy Minister of Early Childhood Education of Ukraine and exploring how to best share Estonia’s educational experience," said Gering. "With one kindergarten in Ovruch, Estonia has laid the foundation for change in early childhood education in Ukraine."

ESTDEV is developing the early childhood education programme according to the wishes and desires of the Ukrainian partners. In addition to the physical structures of the Ovruch kindergarten, Estonia was also able to offer an early childhood education training component.

"The kindergarten was not just walls and a ceiling—we made sure that the education offered there would be as modern as possible," said Anna Silem, ESTDEV’s senior project manager.

Ovruch kindergarten staff training in Ukraine. 

In conjunction with training in child-centred learning methodologies, Estonia also helped the kindergarten digitise teaching and management. "We can help to optimise management so that human resources are used efficiently. Everything is simple, fast and logical, and there are learning tools that help children acquire knowledge in a more engaging manner,” Silem said.

As in Estonia, early childhood education is not compulsory in Ukraine, and in this situation where several nationwide reforms are underway at once, kindergartens have been left behind. "Ukraine is a big country, and they simply cannot reach everywhere at the same time," said Silem, adding that this is why Estonia is a good partner. "Estonia's small size has made it possible to carry out reforms very quickly, and we now have this experience to share. All of Ukraine benefits if our experience helps them save money and resources.”

In addition to the work done in Ovruch, ESTDEV has organised training and seminars on current education methodologies for kindergarten directors and managers elsewhere in the Zhytomyr Region. One group visited Estonia last year and was introduced to different Estonian approaches to child-centred learning at local kindergartens. During ESTDEV's visit to Ukraine in June, one day was dedicated to training kindergarten managers. 

Silem said that continued efforts are focused on the Ovruch kindergarten in order to create a good example for other kindergartens in Ukraine to follow. "This ensures sustainability so that others may learn from the experience of the Ovruchi kindergarten," Silem said.

One of the training days for the staff of the Ovruch Kindergarten.

Kulu said that the Ovruch kindergarten has increased Ukraine’s trust in ESTDEV and Estonia, creating opportunities for larger, more widespread projects. For example, one upcoming project aims to provide Ukrainian communities and local governments with flexible, innovative solutions for the provision of early childhood education and childcare services. According to Kulu, this is especially important for areas affected by the war and remote communities with fewer children and no suitable transportation options.

Vocational education and meeting labour market needs

The war has turned the Ukrainian labour market upside down. Therefore, the promotion of vocational education is important because it is the fastest way to facilitate reentry into the labour market by providing people with opportunities for retraining. For example, those returning from war may have physical limitations preventing them from returning to their former jobs.

Vocational education also allows individuals to quickly upgrade their skills according to the demands of the labour market. "Many men are at the front, but work still needs to get done. There is a shortage of electricians and plumbers, and now vocational schools have to think about how to support entrepreneurial women in acquiring these professions," Kulu said, adding that strong vocational education and flexible retraining opportunities are crucial for Ukraine's post-war recovery and development.

Watch Kristi Kulu's interview on ESTDEV's vocational education projects for journalism students at Zhytomyr State University: 

According to Silem, Estonia can share practical experience in adult education, from how it is organised and financed to what time classes are held. "If you visit Estonian vocational schools, you will see people of all ages. The involvement of adults in this form did not exist in Ukraine, but they saw this need and turned to us,” Silem.

ESTDEV vocational education projects align with Ukraine’s vocational education reform and are developed according to Ukraine's unique needs. As with early childhood education, vocational education reform's biggest obstacle is that it is not compulsory, and the state and international donors prioritise general education. ESTDEV's vocational education project aims to support schools’ internal evaluation, where schools evaluate what they currently have and where they want to go. "It is all the more important for ESTDEV and Estonia to act in those areas where there is a shortage of assistance and not so much donor support," Silem said.

Meeting with heads of vocational schools in Zhytomyr, Ukraine. 

According to Kulu, ESTDEV did not seek out opportunities to work in early childhood and vocational education; rather, the project portfolio was developed based on Ukraine's needs. While Ukraine already has a clear vision for general education reforms, Estonian support has been requested for other levels of education.