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"I believe one of the biggest problems with falling behind is that students often don’t feel they can approach their teacher and ask for help. Most STEM topics build on previously learned material. If a student hasn’t learned how to solve linear equations, quadratic ones will be a struggle. In such cases, according to the students, teachers are often reluctant to go back and explain past topics. They are more willing to give consultations on current material.”

“I designed lessons for one of my mentees based on his favorite video game. He’s obsessed with Darth Vader, so I adapted an entire series of lessons around Star Wars to spark his interest. We studied spelling together with Darth Vader, and it became much easier for him. I think that’s because he knew: this wouldn’t be like a regular class — it would be something more fun. We learned through play, and if he made a mistake during the task, he knew no one would scold him. Mistakes are okay — just try again.”

In the new series "Tutoring at School" from Action.Education and the NGO "Teach for Ukraine", learn about effective tutoring approaches at school and how to support students on their educational path.

In 2025, Teach for Ukraine NGO, with support from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in Ukraine and financial backing from Norway, is implementing the project "Tutor Catch-Up Centers: Overcoming Educational Losses in Emergency Situations."

Teach for Ukraine NGO has taken another important step in expanding educational opportunities for children — we have become part of the global fundraising platform GlobalGiving. This opens new avenues to attract international support, enabling even more young leaders to transform education in villages and small communities across Ukraine.

Since February, Nataliya Etten has taken on the leadership role in the organization and will continue our mission — to develop the next generation of leaders through education for the restoration and sustainable development of Ukraine. We must ensure quality education for children regardless of the challenges the country faces.

When Oksana Matiyash joined Teach For Ukraine NGO, it marked a new beginning for us. During our time working together, the organization was relaunched amidst the pandemic, we faced the full-scale invasion, scaled our impact, and built a strong community of leaders in the education sector. Today, Oksana passes the leadership baton forward. This is not a farewell but a new chapter. Ahead lie new opportunities, and Teach For Ukraine NGO continues to transform Ukrainian education.

In 2024, Teach for Ukraine NGO became part of a national consortium of educational organizations within the framework of MYRPUA — a two-year inter-agency initiative addressing critical educational challenges in conflict-affected regions. The program is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and is funded by Education Cannot Wait (ECW).

How can NGOs, government institutions, and international partners effectively collaborate to overcome educational losses? What approaches and practical cases are the most successful in restoring children’s learning outcomes, especially in frontline regions? What systemic solutions are needed at national and local levels to prevent and compensate for educational setbacks?

Learning losses refer to any gaps in knowledge, skills, or competencies, as well as slowdowns or interruptions in students’ academic progress caused by breaks in their learning.

StudMentor is an intellectual volunteering program for youth who were trained in mentorship to provide catch-up programs for children of the frontline regions.

How do you teach and learn in places where explosions and air raid sirens sound more often than school bells for breaks? For children and educators in frontline regions, those bells seem like a distant, gentle memory from pre-COVID school days.