On Monday, July 22, a unique training program in programming, STEM education, and robotics for computer science teachers officially began. Forty-eight teachers from 24 schools gathered at the Ukrainian Catholic University to participate in several months of free training. The charitable educational initiative Leave No One Behind Partnership is being implemented with support from Taiwan and benefits schools in Lviv, Poltava, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.
"We had the vision for an innovative educational project, the right partners, a team of UCU educators, and the support of the Taiwanese government. This is a significant investment in Ukrainian school education. Each teacher has already received a training laptop and a robotics kit to use during the program. Upon completing the training, they will receive 16 laptops, robotics kits, and projectors with screens to equip their schools' computer science classrooms," said Uliana Pak, coordinator of the Leave No One Behind Partnership project.
The candidates for the project were selected by an independent committee. A total of 143 educational institutions applied, meaning nearly six schools competed for each available spot. Before the selection process, a survey was conducted to assess educators' needs, and the results were used to shape the course curriculum.
"The survey revealed a strong demand for school equipment, teaching materials, and opportunities for professional development. Thanks to this project, teachers will gain access to a wide range of educational tools that they can use and test in their classrooms for years to come," said Tetiana Zakharchenko, PhD in Physics and Mathematics and head of the Computer Science bachelor's program at UCU's Faculty of Applied Sciences.
The head of the Robotics program at UCU, Oleh Fareniuk, emphasized that while the course includes a strong theoretical foundation, it focuses twice as much on hands-on practice. Educators will learn to program various platforms, whether software-based or robotic. In the future, each teacher, along with their colleagues and students, will be able to choose the platform that best suits their needs.
"Programming is essentially the ability to formulate thoughts in a way that a machine can understand. For example, when working with a computer, if you do not clearly define the task, the computer will not execute it correctly. This skill is best developed by programming different systems, and robotics provides the perfect opportunity to see your code come to life," explained Oleh Farieniuk, outlining the goals of the curriculum.
After completing the training, teachers from 24 schools will receive technical equipment for their school computer labs. The project aims to equip more than 100 schools and provide over 1,000 computers to support children's education.
"All the schools that applied for the program are already part of the project. Some have started training today, while others will join at later stages through additional programs. There will be new opportunities, new initiatives, and no one will be left behind. Our goal is to spark children's interest in education so that Ukrainian families who have left the country will feel encouraged to return. Education and innovation must become our competitive advantage.
It is also important that, during their time at UCU, teachers learn how to build a responsible community, bringing together those who seek knowledge and want to create. Values must be passed from teacher to student. We have a responsibility to teach children how to build a new country," emphasized Mykola Kniazhytskyi, founder of the All-Ukrainian Forum for Democracy.
The project is being implemented by the All-Ukrainian Forum for Democracy with the support of Taiwan and the assistance of Mykola Kniazhytskyi.
