On 18 August, the annual national education conference “Serpneva-2026” was held in Kyiv, organised by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine under the slogan “Education Is Everyone’s Responsibility”. More than 700 participants joined the event. The State Scientific Institution “Institute of Educational Analytics” was represented at the event by Hanna Tereshchenko, Deputy Director for Scientific and Organisational Work, PhD in Economics.

The conference slogan defined its main theme: a child’s education is influenced by decisions made by the state, the work of teachers and educational institutions, parental support, the opportunities provided by communities, and the involvement of partners. Therefore, “Serpneva-2026” brought together those working at different levels of the educational process: teachers, heads of educational institutions, representatives of state authorities and local self-government, the parent community, civil society and international organisations, and businesses.

The conference was attended by First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, Prime Minister of Ukraine Serhii Koretskyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Andrii Butenko, Federal Council Delegate for Ukraine Jacques Gerber, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine Anne-Claire Dufay, and World Bank Operations Manager for Eastern Europe Kevin Tomlinson.

“We in Ukraine face a difficult challenge – to prepare our children for the future so that they do not remain ‘children of war’ forever. So that their lives are shaped not by traumatic experience, but by confidence in their own abilities and by our love and support. This truly is a responsibility for everyone – both in education and across the country”, said First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.

The discussion centred on two objectives: outlining the priorities for the new academic year and presenting tools that teachers can use in their daily work. The programme systematically covered all key levels of education, from preschool education to vocational training.

On the main stage, participants discussed the development of preschool education, the eight-year experience of the New Ukrainian School (NUS) reform, the introduction of specialised upper secondary education, and the transformation of vocational education and professional pre-higher education. Four practical zones operated alongside the main stage: “Preschool Education”, “Basic Secondary Education”, “Specialised Upper Secondary Education”, and “Vocational Education and Professional Pre-Higher Education”. In each of these zones, participants explored materials, tools and solutions that can be used as early as the new academic year.

“We want Ukrainian children to study at home, receive a quality education, develop their abilities and be able to choose their own path. Even in wartime, investment in safe and quality education remains one of the state’s key priorities. Our first priority is supporting teachers: from 1 January, their salaries increased by 30%, and from 1 September they will increase by a further 20% – an overall increase of 50% compared with 2025. We must also return as many children as possible to safe, in-person learning and ensure modern, high-quality education at all its stages”, said Prime Minister of Ukraine Serhii Koretskyi.

During the discussion on the development of the preschool education system, participants discussed how to ensure that every child has access to quality and inclusive preschool education, regardless of their place of residence or the security situation in their community.

In the practical zones, experts shared their experience in organising educational services for young children in municipal, specialised and private institutions, and explained how communities can make use of the new opportunities provided by the Law of Ukraine “On Preschool Education” to develop preschool education in line with local needs. Attention was also paid to the principles of respect, non-discrimination and a human-centred approach as integral components of the educational process, as well as to the use of barrier-free language in everyday communication.

A separate panel was dedicated to eight years of the NUS reform. Representatives of the government, educational institutions and international organisations discussed how the reform had developed during the pandemic and the full-scale war, which approaches had proven effective, and what should be taken into account at the next stage. The discussion also covered learning losses, continuity of education, support for children abroad and in the temporarily occupied territories, psychological resilience, and educational infrastructure.

“We are beginning this academic year with a focus on reducing bureaucracy: the mandatory recording of assessment results by groups of learning outcomes in class registers has been abolished. Assessment itself remains in place – only the way it is documented is being simplified. The NUS reform continues: we are implementing concepts for educational fields, piloting specialised upper secondary education in 150 academic lyceums from 1 September, and modernising educational spaces and laboratories“, said Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Andrii Butenko.

In the basic secondary education practical zone, teachers were introduced to materials and ready-to-use solutions from the “Education for Life” platform, which help them plan lessons and implement modern approaches to teaching and learning. Teachers also explored tools for developing reading competence and supporting children with diverse educational experiences. Participants were also shown the process of creating a textbook, from the initial concept to piloting and its use in the classroom. Textbooks damaged by russian shelling were also displayed at the stand.

In the area of specialised upper secondary education, experts discussed the establishment of academic lyceums, the model educational programme, career guidance, teachers’ professional development, and financial planning.

A practical guide covering the key components of establishing and implementing specialised upper secondary education was presented. Each section addresses issues that educators may encounter at different stages, from developing curricula and managing teams to communicating with parents and engaging in advocacy. Participants were able to explore the programme and tools that help educational institutions prepare for changes and enable adolescents to make informed choices about their educational profile.

Representatives of vocational and professional pre-higher education colleges, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, international projects, and employers discussed the modernisation of training workshops and laboratories in colleges, modern career guidance, cooperation between educational institutions and businesses, and the alignment of educational programmes with labour market needs.

Visitors to the vocational and professional pre-higher education practical zone watched a robotics competition featuring XRP (Experiential Robotics Platform) mobile robots. Under the guidance of instructors, teams operated the robots to complete specific missions and learned about the principles of competitive robotics, programming, and engineering thinking. Using VR headsets, conference participants could perform simulated electrical tasks, while on a welding simulator they learned to use a welding torch and practise different types of welds. College students use such modern equipment, enabling them to safely acquire and practise professional skills.

Among other activities during the conference, Olha Budnyk, Adviser – Presidential Commissioner for the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Support of Education, Science and Sports, presented the “Map of Talent Hubs of Ukraine”, a digital platform containing data on 58 hubs at 22 higher education institutions, 65 specialities, and opportunities for education, research and professional development. The map also helps businesses and international partners identify opportunities for cooperation with Ukrainian universities.

The educational pathway is shaped by pupils who make informed choices; teachers who help them realise their potential; parents who support their children; communities that create appropriate conditions; and partners who help implement and scale up effective solutions. After all, education is everyone’s responsibility, and everyone can contribute to positive change.

Recordings of the conference are available on the YouTube channel of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

The conference was organised by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine with the support of the World Bank and the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund (URTF), within the framework of the joint “Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need in Ukraine” (LEARN) programme; UNICEF; the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE project – “Decentralisation for Improved Democratic Education”, implemented by the consortium of the NGO DOCCU and PH Zürich with the support of Switzerland; the Belgian Agency for International Cooperation Enabel; the “Public-Private Partnership to Improve Vocational Education in Ukraine” (EdUP) project, implemented with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland and private partners and carried out by the Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation Swisscontact with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine; the International Renaissance Foundation; UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; the Lithuanian International Partnerships Center (CPVA); the EGAP Programme, implemented by the East Europe Foundation with the support of Switzerland; Finn Church Aid (FCA); and the All-Ukrainian Step by Step Foundation, funded by the War Child Alliance.

Information and photos: Press Centre of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.