Strengthening Coordination with International Partners: Outcomes of the Education Sector Working Group Meeting
On 4 November 2026, the Education Sector Working Group held a meeting in Kyiv, which addressed progress on the new Sectoral Strategy for the Development of Education and Science for 2027–2033, as well as the conditions under which the new school year is taking place.
Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Ivan Yuriichuk presented partners with a comprehensive overview of the sector. As of 29 October 2026, Ukraine has 12,210 operating general secondary education facilities (including branches), 90% of which provide in-person or blended learning. At the same time, education facilities remain a deliberate, targeted object of Russian attacks. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 401 facilities have been destroyed and more than 4,000 facilities at all levels have been damaged. Restoration work has been carried out at nearly 1,900 facilities.
"Our priority is to preserve the quality of education and ensure children can achieve the necessary learning outcomes even amid frequent and prolonged air raid alerts. This requires flexible planning: identifying which subject areas and lessons most need direct interaction with a teacher, and prioritising available in-person time for them. For other tasks, we combine work in equipped shelters, distance formats and independent study. Safety remains a non-negotiable requirement for every one of these solutions," said Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Ivan Yuriichuk.
A separate item on the agenda was the new Sectoral Strategy for the Development of Education and Science for 2027–2033, which was presented to partners within the context of these security challenges. The single document will bring together existing separate strategies into one vision, with clear goals, measurable results and a seven-year budget — built around four strategic goals: safe infrastructure, modern student competences, workforce capacity of educators, and the contribution of science to the state's defence capability and recovery.
Particular attention was also given to Ukraine's strategic partnership framework with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), which MoES is developing together with international partners. The meeting presented the current status and next steps of the agreed Priority Reform — restoring safe, quality and inclusive learning conditions as the foundation for the stable functioning of preschool and general secondary education in Ukraine. The document's goal is to align government and partner efforts around this shared priority.
Participants also discussed humanitarian response in the education sector and its coordination within the Education in Emergencies thematic subgroup. The subgroup also presented the Education Sector Working Group with a draft of the 2027 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) for education.
The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine thanks all partners for their ongoing support and cooperation in developing education in Ukraine, and emphasises that openness remains a priority in its engagement with partners.
The meeting was organised in partnership with UNICEF Ukraine and the Embassy of Finland in Ukraine, co-chairs of the Education Sector Working Group.