The Ministry of Education and Science, in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Olena Zelenska Foundation, has officially launched the Device Coalition

The inauguration event for the Device Coalition occurred on January 23 in London, hosted at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development during BETT 2024.

The Device Coalition is a cooperative effort involving organizations, governments, and patrons to supply devices for Ukrainian students and teachers engaged in online education. It was initiated by the Ministry of Education and Science in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Olena Zelenska Foundation.

The primary objective of the Coalition is to engage development partners in addressing the critical demand for learning devices, ensuring equitable access to education for students and teachers in communities affected by war.

"The safety of children remains our top priority. However, beyond that, we aim to provide them with a future, opportunities, and prospects. While our defenders are on the frontline, ensuring that children can attend school freely, we must, at the very least, offer the opportunity for distance education despite the ongoing war. On a national scale, this initiative is perhaps unprecedented worldwide. To date, my Foundation, with the support of international partners, has delivered around 50,000 laptops and tablets to students and teachers. However, to meet the ongoing need, it is crucial to unite more initiatives," emphasized the First Lady, Olena Zelenska.

Presently, this issue is critical, as approximately two million children are continuing their education online or in a blended mode. Among them, 327,000 children are compelled to miss classes or even abstain from attending due to the lack of learning devices.

Moreover, devices serve as a means for these children not only to continue acquiring knowledge and skills but also to socialize, learn new information, and communicate with peers.

"Due to the full-scale war, education faces numerous challenges. One of them is to ensure quality online education for children who cannot study offline. Currently, this concerns more than 1.9 million children, with over 330,000 lacking access to distance learning due to the absence of devices laptops, tablets, or smartphones. Therefore, we are establishing the Device Coalition to provide students and teachers with the necessary gadgets and reintegrate them into the educational process. Education development is the foundation for Ukraine's economic breakthrough and preservation of human capital," stated Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.

During the event, First Deputy Minister of Education and Science Yevhen Kudriavets and Deputy Minister of Education and Science Dmytro Zavhorodnii shared insights into the current needs for devices among students and teachers, as well as the operational framework of the Device Coalition. They also announced initial agreements, with over 50,000 gadgets contributed to the Device Coalition by UNICEF, Education Cannot Wait, the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

"The Coalition's goal this year is to address the critical device need for children and teachers in 10 regions where remote learning is predominant. The current critical demand for laptops exceeds 96,000 devices for children and over 29,000 for teachers. It is crucial that these devices are also utilized to overcome educational losses, prepare for exams, and provide psychological support. The return of children to the educational process and restoring access to out-of-school activities are key factors in developing the potential of our children," emphasized Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.

To ensure the effective integration of these devices into the educational process, efforts are underway to create a comprehensive digital educational ecosystem. It will operate and evolve with the support of stakeholders, development partners, and educators.

The Coalition has already garnered support from implementation partners such as UNICEF, UNESCO, Theirworld, and GBC for Education, representing a significant reinforcement for Ukrainian education. United, we achieve the grand goal!

We express gratitude to our partners for their consistent support of Ukrainian education!

The event was organized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the Olena Zelenska Foundation, and the Embassy of Ukraine in the United Kingdom, with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, BETT, The Fund of the President of Ukraine for the support of Education, Science, and Sports, and Theirworld/GBC for Education, British Council.

Explore detailed information about the Coalition and learn how to join by visiting our website.