UNICEF in cooperation with the MoES donated 5,050 laptops to teachers
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science, donated 5,050 laptops to teachers whose schools were destroyed by the war in Ukraine. Laptops will help educators to stay in touch with students and resume distance learning in the fall. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, millions of Ukrainians have been forced to leave their homes and temporarily move to other settlements or leave the country. Due to the damage and destruction of schools, thousands of students were left without the opportunity to study, and teachers - without the opportunity to ensure the fundamental right of children to education.
According to the Ministry of Education and Science, as of June 14, 2022, about 1972 educational institutions were damaged, 194 were completely destroyed. Every six "safe school" supported by UNICEF in eastern Ukraine was also damaged. "Providing teachers with laptops is a priority to restore a full-fledged educational process. Thousands of educators were forced to evacuate from hotspots and potentially dangerous regions, often unable to take what they needed.
“I am grateful to international partners for their constant support of educators and fruitful cooperation for the restoration of education in Ukraine. Together, we will do our best to ensure that the school year begins in a safe environment and that Ukrainian teachers are provided with the necessary digital equipment", said Minister Serhiy Shkarlet. Humanitarian aid from UNICEF was received in preparation for the resumption of studying in September 2022 and amounted to almost $ 2 million.
“UNICEF is grateful to the partners, the governments of Japan, Norway and Ireland, who have contributed to supporting education in Ukraine during the most difficult humanitarian crisis. Now, more than ever, education needs significant investment so that every child in Ukraine can resume their studies and have equal opportunities for development. As a result of the war, almost two out of three children in Ukraine have left their homes, so now the priority is to resume learning safely, including distance learning, wherever possible", said Murat Shahin, head of the UNICEF Office in Ukraine.
With the agreement of the Ministry and local education authorities, laptops will be distributed among teachers whose schools are damaged or destroyed. In particular, educators from Sumy, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Mykolayiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, Kherson and Luhansk regions will receive the equipment. Some laptops will be transferred to the Transcarpathian region for displaced teachers. It will be recalled that the Ministry is systematically working to attract as many donors, organizations and representatives of the business sector to support digital education in Ukraine.