On August 18, 2026, a delegation of educators from the Donetsk region participated in the annual educational conference of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, “Serpneva – 2026,” which this year was held under the slogan “Education Is Everyone’s Responsibility.”
The event brought together representatives of state and local government bodies, heads of educational institutions, teachers, the civil society sector, international organizations, the business community, and everyone involved in shaping educational reforms in Ukraine.
Donetsk Oblast was represented, in particular, by Ihor Haievyi, director of the Department of Education and Science of the Donetsk Regional State Administration; Olena Barabanova, rector of the Donetsk Regional Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education; Liubov Vorotintseva, head of the Education Department of the Pokrovsk City Council; and Iryna Zinich, director of the Educational Complex No. 1 of the Pokrovsk City Council, which has been relocated to Dnipro, Iryna Zinich.
Speakers at the conference included Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Science Andriy Butenko, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Kornienko, heads of regional state administrations, heads of educational institutions, educators, international partners, and representatives of civil society organizations.
The main stage program will focus on key areas of development in Ukrainian education: the development of preschool education; the results of eight years of the “New Ukrainian School” reform; the launch of specialized upper-secondary schools; the modernization of vocational and pre-higher education; and strengthening the link between education, the economy, and the modern labor market.
For educators in the Donetsk region, issues such as the accessibility and quality of education, the continuity of the educational process, support for teachers and students, the creation of a safe educational environment, and ensuring equal opportunities for children amid a full-scale war are particularly important.
“August 2026” is an opportunity to take stock and set priorities for the new school year, as well as a space to develop a shared vision for the future of Ukrainian education, in which everyone has a role and responsibility.