Who are the most talented teachers in Ukraine?

On October 5th, the 2024 Global Teacher Prize announced its finalists in Ukraine. This prestigious award, the most significant teacher recognition in the country, celebrates educators who inspire, innovate, and advance education. Part of the global initiative by the Varkey Foundation, it highlights teachers making significant impacts on their students and communities. Winners receive a monetary prize and are honored in a high-profile ceremony, elevating the teaching profession’s status and promoting educational excellence.

Media Coverage and War Context
One of Ukraine’s leading news channels, “Inter,” reported on the event, featuring interviews with finalists and organizers, including a speech by Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska. The report began by highlighting the devastating impact of the war on education, noting that 3,798 educational institutions have been damaged, with nearly 400 completely destroyed by Russian aggression.

Spotlight on Finalists
A significant portion of the coverage was dedicated to Vladyslav Krongauz, a history teacher from Kharkiv. He teaches at “Metro School,” the world’s first fully functioning underground school, established in response to the Russian invasion. Despite its popularity, the report assumed the audience’s familiarity with the school and focused more on its wartime context. More detailed reportage about Vladyslav was filmed by local journalists from Kharkiv News.

In contrast, less attention was given to the prize winner, Lesya Pavlyuk, an elementary school teacher from Ivano-Frankivsk, an area less affected by the war. The media’s emphasis on Vladyslav reflects a societal need to highlight the war’s implications over more peaceful regions.

Mild propaganda
The report conveyed strong support for the teaching profession, using phrases like “interest in the teaching profession is rising.” Statistics showed a 47% increase in the profession’s prestige over the last seven years. Olena Zelenska underscored the essential role of teachers in restoring normalcy to families disrupted by war.

UNICEF’s Perspective
Interestingly, UNICEF’s coverage differed, focusing only on Oksana Masovets, a preschool teacher from Kamianets-Podilskyi, who won the best pre-school educator nomination. This aligns with UNICEF’s emphasis on Early Childhood Development (ECD) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNICEF highlighted the vital role of ECE teachers, with Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine, stating, “This is the second year that UNICEF has proudly supported the Preschool Teacher nomination, because it is crucial for us to highlight the vital role that ECE teachers play in young children’s development.” The article also highlighted Oksana’s project ‘MriiDii’ (‘Dream and Act’) to support children and parents displaced by the war which she will spend her award on.

UNICEF followed a similar format as the Ukrainian media by quoting multiple attendees of the event. They included a picture of Oksana Masovets and Oksen Lisovyi, Ukraine’s Minister of Education, giving a speech, which conveyed the event’s prestige, aligning with UNICEF’s brand. In contrast, Ukrainian news conducted interviews in a more informal setting, with music and background chatter. Contributing to the formality, UNICEF’s article was concise and direct, focusing on key information.

Overall, while Ukrainian media and UNICEF provided different perspectives, both acknowledged the ongoing war’s context, emphasizing the resilience and importance of educators in Ukraine.

Sources:

Convention on the rights of the child | OHCHR. General Assembly resolution 44/25. (1989, November). https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child 

“Подробиці”. TV Channel “Inter.” (2024, October 6). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmm_Ul-0k0U 

UNICEF supports “Preschool Education” nomination in global teacher prize 2024. UNICEF. (2024, October 8). https://www.unicef.org/ukraine/en/press-releases/unicef-supported-preschool-nomination-global-teacher-prize-2024  

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Early Childhood Development. UNICEF Vision for Every Child. UNICEF. (2023).