Education in emergencies: experience shaping the future

The coordinator of educational projects at the NGO “Responsible Citizens,” Olena Bielolipetseva, participated in a three-day training session on “Education in Emergencies” held in Kyiv.
Together with specialists from various parts of Ukraine, she explored ways to ensure continuous access to quality education during wartime, adhering to the minimum INEE standards, incorporating international experience, and addressing real local challenges.

Special attention was given to:
– Combining online and offline learning, using examples from communities in Kherson and Kharkiv regions;
– Supporting the psycho-emotional well-being of children and teachers;
– Adapting the educational process to the influence of social media and disinformation;
– Responding to emergencies and rapidly restoring education.

“For me, it was incredibly important not just to hear about colleagues’ experiences but to work through specific scenarios—what to do when a school is destroyed, when children have to study in shelters, or when teachers face burnout. This training provided new benchmarks for designing education in places where it seemed impossible,” shares Olena Bielolipetseva.

This experience prompted a reevaluation of our approaches to designing educational initiatives. We now better understand how to support teachers, restore education in vulnerable communities, and create spaces of resilience even amidst uncertainty.