WASHINGTON D.C. / KIEV, November 22, 2022 – The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) welcomed Ukraine as its latest member today.
Since February 2022 the war has devastated Ukraine, causing civilian casualties, mass displacement and destruction of vital infrastructure. Education has been severely disrupted by the fighting despite heroic efforts by the Government of Ukraine and partners.
“By joining GPE, Ukraine is sending a strong signal that education remains a country priority despite tremendously difficult circumstances,” said Charles North, Acting CEO of the Global Partnership for Education. “We commend the Ukrainian government and the people of Ukraine for their resilience and courage, and are committed to helping strengthen the education system to deliver quality education for millions of children.”
“For nearly 20 years, the world has witnessed impressive achievements of the Global Partnership for Education in providing access to education for millions of children,” said Serhiy Shkarlet, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine. “Almost from the beginning of the full-scale war against Ukraine, GPE offered its support, and thanks to our partners, Ukrainian children and teachers will soon be able to receive critical support. However, the partnership with GPE is also about long-term outcomes, transformative changes and building resilient education systems. We are grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this community and are ready for joint action.”
By joining GPE, Ukraine can access US$43 million in grants.
The partnership supports priority activities defined by the Government of Ukraine. These include teachers’ professional development, providing psychosocial support to children and educators, delivering learning materials, providing infrastructure and equipment for education facilities, and supporting comprehensive digital transformation of education.
GPE is working in close coordination with humanitarian and development partners, including the private sector, to mobilize funding to support education needs in Ukraine.
In March 2020, Ukraine received an emergency grant from GPE of US$70,000 to respond to the impacts of COVID-19 on its education system. The funds were used to provide education kits and learning supplies to vulnerable preschool children, including children with disabilities.
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About the Global Partnership for Education
GPE is a shared commitment to ending the world’s learning crisis. We mobilize partners and funds to support more than 80 lower-income countries to transform their education systems so that every girl and boy can get the quality education they need to unlock their full potential and contribute to building a better world.
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