On 30 October 2025, the Polaris Programme: Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine, together with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, presented the findings of the study “Ukrainian preschools today. A review of current legislative, institutional, and budgetary framework of preschool education in Ukraine from an international perspective.”

High-quality preschool education forms the foundation of the entire education system, as it is at this stage that children develop basic competencies and essential social and emotional skills for further learning and life. It provides equal starting opportunities for all children, supporting their holistic development and successful adaptation to school. Investments in preschool education offer the highest social returns, as they determine a country’s human potential and future competitiveness.

The event opened with welcome remarks by Anastasiia Konovalova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, and Susanna Dellans, Polaris Team Leader and SALAR International Representative in Ukraine.

“Preschool education is not only about child development – it is also a key factor in economic recovery and growth. It enables both parents to remain active in the labour market, which is particularly important for a country at war. That is why the Polaris Programme explores opportunities to support Ukraine in this area, and the report presented today is the first step. Sweden has long-standing positive experience in preschool education and stands ready to continue supporting Ukraine. Our assistance will be shaped in line with the priorities of the Government of Ukraine,” said Susanna Dellans.

Anastasiia Konovalova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, delivered a presentation on the implementation of the new Law on Preschool Education in Ukraine and emphasised: “This is the first comprehensive report in decades that provides a deep understanding of the current state of preschool education in Ukraine and outlines key directions for its development. I encourage everyone who cares about the future of Ukrainian preschool education to explore its findings.”

During the event, Henrik Lindh, Polaris Programme Consultant, presented the main results of the study, focusing on the governance and financing of preschool education in Ukraine within a comparative European framework. The report was developed by the Polaris team with the expertise of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR).

“The analytics show that despite the devastating impact of the war, Ukrainian hromadas and educators demonstrate remarkable resilience and a strong commitment to providing quality education for children. Preschool education should become a part of Ukraine’s national recovery strategy – as a tool for strengthening democracy, inclusion, and resilience. Investing in quality early childhood education today means investing in the country’s recovery tomorrow,” said Henrik Lindh.

The results presented in the report will serve as an important foundation for shaping further reforms in preschool education, aimed at ensuring equal access, improving the quality of educational services, strengthening the monitoring system, supporting educators, and enhancing coordination across national, regional, and local levels.

“The aim of the report is to provide a realistic and truthful overview of preschool education in Ukraine, necessary for designing effective future reforms of the sector. Together with the Ministry of Education and Science, we will try to identify and define possible interventions, which even in the current situation, when the first budget priority of Ukraine must remain the defence, may be in practice implemented and would benefit the enrolled children and the preschool institutions,” concluded Jan Herczyński, Polaris Education on National Level Team Leader.

The report “Ukrainian preschools today. A review of current legislative, institutional, and budgetary framework of preschool education in Ukraine from an international perspective” is available at the link.

A recording of the event is available at the link.