In the finals of the All-Ukrainian “Teacher of the Year 2026” competition, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine honored four teachers from the Donetsk region.
Hanna Nikitska, an English teacher at Kostiantynivka Secondary School No. 13 (Grades I–III) of the Kostiantynivka City Council, won third place in the “English Language” category during a five-day competition featuring finalists from across Ukraine.
Hanna Kubrak, a mathematics teacher at Velykonovosilky Secondary School No. 2 (Grades I–III) of the Velykonovosilky Village Council, received the honorary title of finalist in the final stage of the All-Ukrainian “Teacher of the Year 2026” competition. A total of 473 teachers from across the country competed in the “Mathematics” category. Only the top 25—one from each region—advanced to the qualifying round, and the twelve strongest competitors faced off in the final round. The Donetsk native confidently secured a spot among the top seven teachers in Ukraine.
Natalia Zmievska—a history and law teacher at Selidiv Lyceum No. 1 of the Selidiv City Council in the Pokrovsk District of Donetsk Oblast—is another finalist in the competition. She teaches her students not only to memorize historical facts, but also to analyze them and draw conclusions.
Olga Hrytsai, a primary school teacher at Mariupol General Education School No. 47 (Grades I–III), is another finalist in the competition. A native of Donetsk, she demonstrated that distance learning can be not only high-tech, but also genuinely warm, empathetic, and effective.
Our educators, who continue to work under conditions complicated by the effects of the war, have proven that intelligence, professionalism, and dedication to their mission can help them reach the highest national achievements.
We congratulate them on their victory and wish them continued professional success!