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The training called “Distance Education for the Temporarily Occupied Territories in 2021/2022: Organization, Promotion, and Minimization of Challenges” has ended at the International Green School. The event was organized by the NGO “Open Policy Foundation”, which implements the “Access to Education for Students from non-Governmental Controlled Areas (Support of the State Hotline)”, and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, with the support of the USAID’s “Democratic Governance in Eastern Ukraine” project.

In total, three sessions of the training, which lasted from 2 to 21 July, were attended by 63 participants - heads of educational institutions, school teachers, psychologists, university lecturers, facilitators, and employees of council education departments. The vast majority were educators from schools located in Donetsk and Luhansk regions near the contact line.

The training component included six modules, designed by the organizers in such a way as to cover all issues related to the organization, technical and documentary support, and problem points of distance education. In particular, the possibilities of distance learning for children from the temporarily occupied territories were considered in detail. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions to representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, as well as gain important skills in cloud management, PR and communications, shared their experiences and developed effective cases for distance education during teamwork.

“This is a great training format: lectures, discussions, group work, brainstorms - and all this were supported with practical tasks, which is especially valuable. Everything was balanced: we switched from learning to nature, creativity, physical activity, and relaxation. Everything was very cool, intense, and emotional. I will not have such a crazy speed during the training. And the SCRUM method, which you demonstrated us, really works - everything is timed, we managed everything, and even more,” said Olena ISTOMINA, Deputy Director of Dobropillya educational complex “Specialized school of I-III levels №4”.

“We were able to look at distance education from the other side because everyone used to work alone and look for situational solutions. If all teachers in Ukraine attended such training, their worries would disappear. We made sure that distance learning can be comfortable for both teachers and students. We leave the International Green School with the knowledge we will present to our colleagues. This is exactly what we need - conclusions and practice,” shared his impressions Yurii DAVYDENKO, Deputy Head of the Department of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports at the Stanychno-Luhanska civil-military administration.

“We came here from the area near the contact line. In particular, I work at a school run by people who left their homes in the occupied territories at the beginning of the war and now live and work in Ukraine. Believe me, such training is extremely necessary for my neighbors,” added Yuliia KHAVIKOVA, a biology teacher at the Orlivka educational complex.