Lithuania enables two schools in Ukraine’s frontline Sumy region to restore access to education for children affected by the ongoing Russian war.
A total of 334 laptops were delivered for two schools of Glukhiv, particularly to border areas where offline learning is currently impossible due to daily attacks by the aggressor.
Recognizing the urgent needs of Ukraine’s education sector, Lithuania joined the “Device Coalition” initiative — a global commitment to ensure education continuity in Ukraine by providing devices for learning to children and teachers in the most affected regions.
The Lithuanian Fund for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid allocated €150,000 for the project, including a targeted contribution of €50,000 from the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation of Lithuania. The project was implemented by the Lithuanian Central Project Management Agency (CPVA).
“Ukraine, currently devastated by the war, urgently requires all possible support in various sectors, including education. To address this need, the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation is providing financial support to a project aimed to equip Ukrainian schoolchildren with computers and essential software. This initiative will both enhance their learning experiences and also create conditions for the upbringing of future leaders,” says Minister of the Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė.
The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine supports policies aimed at returning to offline education. However, in regions experiencing daily shelling, offline schools are not feasible. The Sumy region was chosen for the initiative due to its frequent exposure to enemy attacks, which have severely disrupted education. The laptops will be distributed to students from Schools #1 and #6 in Glukhiv, prioritising children from socially vulnerable groups who face the greatest barriers to accessing education.
Distant learning has become a lifeline for students in frontline and border areas, where attending classes in person is too dangerous. The principal of Glukhiv School #6 Tetiana Hovorukha shared that lessons for children are held only online now. She also mentioned that teachers and students strive to stay connected not only for learning but also to maintain a sense of unity and support. They continue to congratulate each other on holidays, including the upcoming Christmas, which, for the third consecutive year, will be marked online for all classes.
The Device Coalition is an alliance of governments, organizations, and donors, initiated by the Ukrainian Ministries of Education and Science and Digital Transformation in partnership with the Olena Zelenska Foundation. Currently, nearly 500,000 schoolchildren in Ukraine are studying remotely, with the online format remaining a viable alternative in frontline and border regions.
