Objective of the project:
To raise the educational level and increase the resilience of Ukrainian students by organizing catch-up classes and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) activities, aiming to overcome learning gaps caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly four years of ongoing war.
Project Activities:
- Student and teacher selection, preparation of teachers for activity implementation.
- Training:
- Catch-up classes for 5th–9th grade students with average and lower academic results, strengthening core subjects (mathematics, Ukrainian and English languages, Ukrainian history). It is planned to involve up to 400 students.
- STEAM activities for higher-achieving 5th–9th grade students, focused on practical knowledge application and project-based learning. It is planned to involve up to 200 students.
- Program Evaluation:
- Testing and assessment of participating students’ achievements.
- Evaluation of the program’s effectiveness and improvement based on the results.
The project activities in Ukraine are implemented by the experienced project partner, the Ukrainian non-governmental organization “SavED,” which has significant expertise in organizing Catch-up classes in affected Ukrainian regions.
To strengthen cooperation and knowledge exchange between Ukraine and Lithuania in the education sector, an expert from the Lithuanian National Education Agency (NŠA) participates in the project, supporting the development of the STEAM education model in Ukraine by organizing training, contributing to the development of the project program and educational materials.
The first two waves of the Catch-up programme were successfully completed by 264 Catch-up students and 132 STEAM students. Diagnostic test results revealed that the knowledge level of 90% of participants improved. Intensive work on students’ emotional well-being also yielded tangible results:
Impact of Catch-Up Classes
- Confidence during lessons increased: 50% → 59%;
- Enjoyment of learning increased: 27% → 33%;
- Worries about studying and grades decreased: 56.8% → 50.5%;
- Reading in free time increased: 15% → 19%.
Impact of STEAM Classes
- High depressive symptoms decreased: 22.67% → 17.42%;
- Feelings of insecurity at school decreased: 14.5% → 5.3%;
- Sense of safety increased: 64.53% → 74%
- Anxiety before school decreased: 15% → 5%
In addition, in summer 2026, 40 summer camps were organised where students could take a break from school, visit a shelter, and participate in various STEAM activities. In total 600 visits happened in such camps.
The project activities are carried out at the one of the lyceums of Odesa region, where a new dual-purpose underground shelter was constructed with funding from the European Union, Lithuania, and Ireland under the project “New Shelters for Ukraine’s Schools”. This ensures a safe working and learning environment for students and teachers while also promoting more efficient use of the shelter.
