Teach For Ukraine: how two years of teaching can transform educational system along with the country

NGO “Teach For Ukraine” in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine with the support of Western NIS Enterprise Fund launch the similarly named program, which is aimed to develop a new generation of social leaders and improve the quality of secondary education in Ukraine.

“Teach For Ukraine” is a program that involves best graduates and young professionals to teach in schools and develops their leadership potential to expand educational opportunities in children lives today and to implement systemic changes in their country tomorrow.

Teaching profession is currently losing prestige and experiencing an acute shortage of highly motivated and skilled personnel, which results in a steady decline of the school education quality and competitiveness of Ukraine in the world. The initiative “Teach For Ukraine” joins up to solve this problem by involving top universities graduates and young professionals from various spheres in teaching and educational sector.

“Education has a great power to change lives and to inspire positive transformation in the world”, – said Rimma El Joueidi, the Director of “Teach For Ukraine”. Today I hope that our program will motivate many talented young leaders to teaching, which is needed to assert real influence over the future of children and the future of the entire country”.

The program participation for the selected candidates will begin with an intensive teaching and leadership training in cooperation with relevant institutions and invited experts. During the two-year school work the program will be providing comprehensive support for the participants to develop their professional and leadership skills. The program graduates will eventually build up a community with a capacity of becoming the driving force of systemic changes in education and other sectors.

“The project “Teach For Ukraine” is a very promising one, it’ll help us to approach and mutually integrate the school and community. People who are not involved in the education system now will be a sharp intake of breath for schools, a fresh blood that can look at the current school problems from a different angle. By now the Ministry of Education and Science has developed a new concept of pedagogical education, necessary to implement the “New Ukrainian school” reform. I believe that the experience of the people who will go through this project can bring up good ideas regarding the changes in teachers training in future”, – noted Liliia Hrynevych, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.

On September 1, 2017, the first group of young professionals starts its teaching activities in partner schools of three pilot regions – Kyiv, Kharkiv and Lviv. At a later stage the program will expand its practice and collaborate with schools from other regions of Ukraine.

“High-quality education of the youth is the cornerstone of Ukrainian future. I am convinced that the “Teach For Ukraine” program impact will be much larger than the number of inspiring teachers that it involves. It can influence school groups from the inside, motivate students and involve their parents. And thus, it will significantly improve the quality of education. Such an achievement is consistent with the mission of our Fund: to transform the lives of ordinary people in Ukraine”, – said Jaroslawa Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Western NIS Enterprise Fund.

This model has already proven its effectiveness in over 40 countries. The similar program was firstly established in the United States in 1990, since then the initiative’s been adapted to local contexts and implemented in dozens of countries on six continents. Ukraine has become the 41^st country in the world and the 17th European country to join the international network “Teach For All”.

In Ukraine, the program is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science, Western NIS Enterprise Fund, and such leading companies, as Deloitte, Baker McKenzie, and Talent Advisors.