ECD Day in Kyiv organized by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine was a successful day in Kyiv - organised in celebration of the everyday heroes who work with the young children all around the war-torn country.
The National Preschool Day forum brought together educators, innovators, and policy makers to discuss the practical needs and solutions for early childhood education in Ukraine. Held in collaboration with key partners such as the inviting Ministry of Education and Science, the NGO Osvitoria, UNICEF, and Mariupol State University, the event provided a platform for discussions on transforming preschool education, especially in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The forum began with a welcome session, followed by the awarding of 50 top Ukrainian educators as part of the Global Teacher Prize Ukraine 2024. These outstanding preschool and resourceful educators were recognized for their commitment to creating nurturing and often innovative learning opportunities for young children.
The day featured a keynote address by Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Yevheniya Smirnova, who spoke on the transformation of preschool education in Ukraine. She invited teachers to actively participate in the development of the national strategy. 50 teachers were awarded a prize for their exemplary work as early childhood educators - Oksana Masovets, receiving the special recognition of Preschool Teacher of the Global Teacher Prize 2024, whose interactive session was inspiring and lively. Minister Smironova's speech was followed by a panel discussion on the challenges and solutions in support of early childhood education during wartime, moderated by Solomiya Boikovich.
Other highlights included presentations on using digital resources to build children's emotional resilience and digital literacy. Workshops on combining traditional play with digital tools to support holistic child development. Several discussions focused on mental health and wellbeing, including topics on trauma, how to how manage the thereof war with children, how to help children manage emotions during a crisis, the needs of children - and the excpetionally dire circumstances of providing ECEC in the frontline regions.
Innovative workshops included hands-on sessions with leaders in the field of early childhood education, focusing on inclusive practices, emotional development, and digital tools that promote both creativity and resilience in young learners.
The event introduced Fun Academy on Wheels, psychosocial support through mobile education. Sanna Lukander discussed the role of mobile educational units in reaching teachers and children in war-affected areas, offering not just learning but time and place for play and emotional support - with opportunites for moments of normalcy, of childhood, that should never be denied from the children.
Overall, the forum highlighted the resilience and creativity of Ukrainian educators and their commitment to transforming preschool education, ensuring that even in challenging times, children must be allowed to thrive in both physical and digital environments; and this is the everyday work of countless home-base war hero's, early childhood educators. They work for what is worth defending, the children and their future.
Photo credits: City of Kherson (video), NGO Osvitoria (photos)