DECIDE team is working on these issues with communities across Ukraine. We support them in preparing for the implementation of the specialised senior secondary school reform: we help plan a capable network of academic lyceums, develop modern careers guidance, and build partnerships that open up more opportunities for young people. At SERPNEVA-2026, during the panel discussion “Upper Secondary School: Education for the Economy of the Future”, Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project

The annual SERPNEVA educational conference will take place in Kyiv on 18 August. This year’s event will be held under the slogan “Education is shared responsibility” and will bring together educators, administrators, government representatives, community leaders, international partners, the business sector, and everyone involved in shaping the modern education system in Ukraine. The Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE Project is a partner of the conference, and our team will join the disc

When discussing EDC/HRE, the question often arises: how can we explain concepts such as democracy, responsibility, respect for others or the right to be heard to children? Our experience at DECIDE Summer Clubs 2026 “We are at home – in Ukraine” confirms once again that these values are best learnt not when they are simply explained, but when they are experienced through personal involvement. Therefore, EDC/HRE has traditionally been an integral part of the summer clubs’ progr

«The status of a hub educational institution does not refer to the type of educational institution, but rather to its functional role in the established network of educational institutions of the community» Once the future networks of general secondary education institutions had been approved, most communities moved on to the practical stage of implementing the decisions taken. One of the issues that is raised more and more often during meetings with the founders of education

The summer clubs are currently running in 23 communities in Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions – all of which are partner regions of DECIDE project. This year, all our clubs have been united by the common theme of careers guidance. Summer holidays are not just a time for rest, games, and making new friends, but also a perfect opportunity to better understand oneself, discover one’s own talents, and learn more about the world of

In Vasylkiv, the career guidance system works in cooperation with all the bodies involved in ensuring that students make conscious career choices: schools, vocational colleges, the business sector, and the authorities. ‘We are thrilled that, thanks to DECIDE Project, a career guidance system is developing in the city. We need allies in schools. Previously, the focus was solely on social education teachers – we even ran career guidance training sessions for them. Now, children

«School meals without categories or exceptions: how can communities make wise use of state funding and avoid financial pitfalls from 1 September 2026?» Resolution No. 869 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 1 July 2026 regulated the procedure for the provision of state subsidies for school meals in 2026 by amending the Procedure and Conditions approved by Resolution No. 1456 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 27 December 2024. From 1 September 2026, the cat

Summer is underway, and our clubs are operating in 23 communities across 8 regions that are partners in DECIDE Project. Every day, these clubs are filled with children’s voices, genuine smiles, and new discoveries. And in the clubs, children do not just play, do sports, read, and create. They make new friends and simply enjoy the summer! They also learn about different professions, which will help them choose their dream career in the future! In order to ensure that every day

This process actually requires a much more in-depth analysis: primarily, of the number of future senior school students and the teaching staff, the availability of appropriate material and technical resources, the ability of the educational institution to offer different profiles (at least three), and other preconditions that will influence the quality of educational services received by senior school students. We want to share with you the experience of the frontline Trostia

On 17 July, Boryspil district in Kyiv region hosted a Healthy Nutrition Festival, which brought together children, parents, educators, representatives of communities, government authorities, and international partners around a shared goal – fostering a culture of healthy nutrition. First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna, Minister for Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport of Ukrai

On 10 July, a discussion “Transfer of Property of Vocational Education Institutions: Challenges, Opportunities, and Responsibilities of Local Governments” was held during the regular meeting of the Executive Board of the Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils (UAROR). The event brought together more than 40 heads of regional and district councils from all regions of Ukraine – members of the UAROR Executive Board, representatives of the Ministry of Education a

The document is intended to adjust current regulations to the New Ukrainian School reform and the modern needs of schools. The draft order provides for a number of important changes, including: the introduction of new positions: career education counsellor, security administrator for networks and systems, legal adviser, as well as teaching assistant and support educator; changing the title of “secretary” to “office administrator”; abolishing restrictions for teachers-organise

This is an important step towards developing education for democratic citizenship and human rights education, which help adolescents become active, responsible, and engaged members of their communities. What is this course about? About how to be active and responsible members of your community! During the course, students will: learn how a community functions and what role children and youth can play in its development; develop skills such as cooperation, communication, teamw

On 10 July, the meeting “Expansion of the free school meals programme from 1 September 2026: challenges, updated rules, and practical solutions for communities” was held. The school nutrition reform was launched in 2020 on the initiative of First Lady Olena Zelenska. The event brought together representatives from more than 1,000 communities. The event was initiated and attended by Tetiana Berezhna, Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy of Ukraine; other participants

The modern Regional Resource Centre for Inclusive Education was opened in Kyiv region with the support of local authorities and international partners, in particular DECIDE Project, at the Kyiv Regional Institute of Postgraduate Education for Teachers. The Centre was created to provide support and educational guidance for children with special educational needs, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and children who are temporarily residing abroad. The Centre will also provide

«Distance-learning specialised education: legally – yes; effectively – depending on the approaches used» The reform of specialised secondary education in Ukraine involves the establishment of a network of academic lyceums, which provide education at the third level of comprehensive secondary education with compulsory specialisation (profiling). In this context, local governments face a practical question: can distance learning be considered an alternative to establishing a ca

Last year and this year, four DECIDE expert teams, who work with communities across Ukraine, have been providing consultative support on all aspects of implementing the reform of specialised senior secondary education – the third and final stage of the New Ukrainian School (NUS) reform. Recently, DECIDE expert team – Olena Stepko, Olha Khomenko, and Yana Brusentsova – conducted a series of on-site consultations in communities in Odesa region: Usativska, Tairovska, Biliaivska,

Thousands of children and teenagers from Luhansk region are currently living in different regions of Ukraine. Due to the security situation, their communities are unable to organise summer clubs for them in the traditional format. But childhood cannot be put on hold, nor can the need for social interaction, personal development, and self-discovery be postponed. Therefore, within the framework of DECIDE Summer Clubs 2026 initiative “We Are at Home – in Ukraine”, we have select

«Why does the founder of an educational institution play a key role in ensuring its stable, legitimate, and high-quality functioning?» When working with communities, we frequently encounter a widespread view held by both school administrators and staff at education authorities: the founder is responsible for ensuring the functioning of educational institutions, but does NOT have the right to exercise control over them. This view raises a number of practical questions. Is it r

«Quality lyceum starts with the decision: not to adapt students to profiles, but create profiles according to students’ real need, willingness, preferences, and interests» Within the framework of the reform of specialised senior secondary education, approaches to the internal organisation of the educational process are undergoing significant changes. This is not about the formal structure of classes, but about creating real opportunities for students to make choices and shapi