Teach for Ukraine NGO, with support of Save the Children, has conducted a study exploring the role of civil society organizations in understanding and addressing learning loss in Ukraine. The research was carried out as part of the project “Tutoring-Based Catch-Up in Secondary Schools.”
The study includes a mapping of NGOs implementing education recovery programs across Ukraine, and answers key questions about how these organizations define learning loss, what enabled them to begin working in this area, and which strategies, tools, and interventions they have developed and applied.
It also analyzes the relationships between stakeholders in the field and outlines the most pressing challenges faced by NGOs working on learning recovery.
Authors and education experts: Iryna Kohut and Yuliia Nazarenko.
“The research highlights several urgent challenges that must be addressed — in particular, ensuring that programs are accessible to the most vulnerable children, and improving coordination between civil society, the government, and donors.
We believe that partnerships, knowledge exchange, and mutual support across all actors involved in learning recovery efforts will allow us to scale effective practices and build a strong foundation for sustained access to quality education for every child in Ukraine.
Addressing learning loss is a shared responsibility — of the government, the nonprofit sector, and international partners.
Together, we can give children not only access to learning but also a love for education that will fuel their future growth and self-realization,”
— Anastasiia Donska, Head of the Education Recovery Program at Teach for Ukraine
The study reveals that scaling learning recovery programs remains a major challenge for both NGOs and the formal education system. Due to the full-scale war, learning loss continues to deepen — not only in high-risk areas but across all regions of Ukraine.
The capacity of civil society organizations is limited: they cannot reach every school and community in need. However, their experience in designing and delivering programs, the networks of trained educators they’ve developed, and the learning materials and digital tools they’ve produced are invaluable. These contributions are essential for informing a national education recovery strategy and integrating targeted support into the formal system.
Full and summary versions of the research
Available in Ukrainian and English:
Who should read this report?
- Education experts and researchers
- Teachers and education professionals
- NGO practitioners working on or planning learning recovery initiatives
- Anyone interested in humanitarian resilience and social reconstruction in wartime Ukraine
