The World Bank allocates $30 million to support early childhood education development under the «First Steps Forward» initiative launched by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine
The World Bank has allocated $30 million to support the development of early childhood education under the First Steps Forward initiative, launched by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. This is the first nationwide initiative that prioritizes early childhood education and brings together partners to drive comprehensive sector transformation and increase investment.
The corresponding grant agreement was signed today by Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Science, Oksen Lisovyi, and the World Bank’s Regional Director for Eastern Europe, Bob Saum.
“This decision is the result of consistent and systematic work by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. Step by step, we have built a strong partnership with the World Bank, demonstrating the importance of deep changes in education and the state’s readiness to implement them. Starting with cooperation on continuing the New Ukrainian School reform, we have moved toward developing systemic institutional, regulatory, and legislative frameworks in early childhood education. For the first time in over 30 years, the sector is receiving such comprehensive and large-scale support. I sincerely thank the World Bank team for their trust and strategic partnership,” said Minister Oksen Lisovyi.
Developing a strong early childhood education system is one of the priorities of the Government Action Plan. The Government continues working to mobilize resources and build the necessary infrastructure. The grant funding will enable the expansion of support under the LEARN program and ensure the implementation of early childhood education reform, which is critical for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
The investments will be directed toward:
re-equipping and opening 500 early childhood education service locations
equipment for group learning spaces and shelters
computer and technical equipment
professional development for early childhood educators, with a focus on inclusive education
support for communities in implementing local early childhood education development strategies
A key prerequisite for these developments has been the First Steps Forward initiative, launched earlier this year by the Ministry in partnership with UNICEF, the Government of Finland, the World Bank, and the EU. As part of the initiative, an alliance of more than 20 partners was formed during URC 2025 to support early childhood education in Ukraine. The World Bank and Theirworld were among the first donors to invest in the sector. First Steps Forward is the first initiative to prioritize early childhood education at the national level.
“For the World Bank, cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science is both important and effective: programs are implemented with quality, deliver results, and are designed for long-term impact. We remain committed to supporting Ukraine’s recovery, and one of its key elements is access to education, particularly early childhood education. This sector enables parents to return to the labor market and contributes to economic recovery. At the same time, it is essential that families are confident their children are in a safe environment and receiving quality education. Today’s signing and support for early childhood education mark an important step in this direction,” said Bob Saum, World Bank Regional Director for Eastern Europe.
The signed agreement confirms the provision of a grant from the Global Partnership for Education Fund and the Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Support, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform of Ukraine (additional financing for the LEARN Program), concluded between Ukraine and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association. The total financing amounts to $31.1 million, of which $30 million is provided by the Multi-Donor Trust Fund (URTF).
Additionally, a $1.1 million System Capacity Grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) has been provided. It will support strengthening institutional capacity in areas such as European integration, vocational education, inclusive education, and strategic planning, with a focus on education infrastructure development.
This support is aligned with the priority objectives of the LEARN Program and its focus on strengthening governance in the education sector.