Bridging Learning Gaps Amid Crisis

ECW-supported teacher training programme organized by Teach For Ukraine helps equip educators with skills they need to help crisis-affected students in the country

By Education Cannot Wait

March 6^th, 2025

Story from the field. Special contribution by Teach For Ukraine.

In the small town of Slavsko, a group of dedicated teachers gather to learn new methods and tools to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of their careers: helping their students overcome learning losses caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine.

For educators like Anna Semylit, a chemistry teacher from Kyiv, the challenges of teaching amidst conflict are immense.

"While working at school, I often encountered learning losses among students. This is an overwhelming nationwide challenge." ~Anna Semylit, Teacher, Ukraine

Yet, she’s hopeful that, with the right support, these challenges can be addressed – and she’s seeing the way forward with help from a tutoring catch-up workshop she is taking part in with other educators in the country.

The training, organized by Teach For Ukraine as part of a joint Kyiv School of Economics Institute and Finn Church Aid Multi-Year Resilience Programme funded by Education Cannot Wait (ECW), focuses on providing secondary school teachers with strategies to address learning losses, build positive classroom relationships and create individualized learning plans for students.

Anna Semylit and fellow educators at the tutoring catch-up workshop in Slavsko, organized by Teach for Ukraine and supported by Education Cannot Wait. © Teach For Ukraine

The war in Ukraine – entering its third year – has displaced millions, damaged schools and left many children without an education for months or even years. Anna Semylit has seen the impact on the country’s students, teachers and education system.

Before joining the ECW-supported training, Anna worked as a teacher, lecturer and trainer for educators. Today, she is part of the Teach For Ukraine programme and teaches chemistry at Blystavystia Secondary School in Kyiv.

To address the unprecedented challenges of supporting students in the context of a war, she and other teachers took part in the ECW-supported tutoring catch-up training which focused on providing secondary school teachers with strategies to address learning losses, build positive classroom relationships and create individualized learning plans for students.

The aim of the tutoring is to help recover gaps in learning while also transforming overall teaching methods. Beyond just covering the curriculum, educators must be able to pinpoint, analyze and teach the parts of the curriculum that each individual student has missed.

This training has been pivotal in helping teachers like Anna adjust their methods to meet the unique needs of students affected by the crisis. In addition to academic support, the program emphasizes the importance of psychosocial support for students, especially those dealing with trauma.

“For me personally, this approach has inspired me to rethink my teaching methodology. I've started considering ways to make my lessons more active, interactive and development-oriented.”

Ukrainian educators at the tutoring catch-up workshop in Slavsko, organized by Teach for Ukraine and supported by Education Cannot Wait. © Teach For Ukraine

Anna’s priority is her students’ development and well-being.

“I have begun paying greater attention to trauma-sensitive and gender-sensitive approaches in my work. It's essential for me to act carefully to avoid causing further harm while also recognizing when I can offer support myself and when to involve specialized professionals.”

Anna has worked in her new school for over two months, and continues to explore the extent of her students’ learning losses as she implements individual approaches to support each of them. She notes that the tutoring approach from her training, in this context, has proven to be “highly-effective, enabling teachers to achieve significant results.”

Today, she feels better equipped to support students in her chemistry class and school as they navigate an uncertain world.

“This training has not only given me new knowledge but also motivated me to implement changes in my work.”

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 sparked a deadly armed conflict that continues to rage today. Civilians in Ukraine, including millions of children and adolescents, have been severely affected. To date, thousands of schools have been damaged and destroyed.

Through this most recent teacher training initiative, educators are not only learning to bridge educational gaps but also gaining the skills to address the emotional and psychological needs of their students. This holistic approach to education is critical in a country where many children have experienced trauma, shelling, displacement, injury and loss.

ECW is providing crucial support to the country’s students and teachers through its Multi-Year Resilience Programme. To date, ECW has invested US$26.9 million in Ukraine. The latest catalytic grant is working to ensure safe and accessible physical learning environments, improve learning outcomes by training teachers, expand digital learning initiatives and provide alternative education opportunities. To address the challenges facing the girls and boys who are living through the ongoing conflict in the country, there is also a strong focus on mental health and psychosocial support.

Programmes have been delivered by a number of local and international partners, in coordination with the Ukraine Ministry of Education and Science, including Teach For Ukraine, the Kyiv School of Economics, Finn Church Aid, Save the Children, UNICEF and more.

ECW has supported education in Ukraine since 2017 and, to date, investments in the country have reached more than 400,000 children and adolescents with holistic education support, trained over 16,000 education professionals – like Anna – and built or rehabilitated over 2,000 classrooms.

Anastasia, 16, takes notes during class in Kryve Ozero, Ukraine. ECW funding to UNICEF has supported an initiative to install shatter-resistant window film at hew school and many others in the region. © UNICEF Ukraine

Despite the far-reaching impact of such initiatives, the need for scaled-up support remains urgent. ECW is calling on strategic donor partners, the private sector, philanthropic foundations and high-net-worth individuals to urgently scale-up funding for these lifesaving and life-sustaining investments in Ukraine and beyond.

Now, more than ever, global leaders must step up to ensure that education remains a priority in crisis situations. Anna’s experience highlights the importance of investing in education in emergencies – and how targeted training and resources are transforming the way teachers can empower and teach their students against all odds.

“I feel better equipped to support my students and help them overcome the challenges they face today."

Access high-resolution photos from this story and our full media library on ECW’s Flickr

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