UNICEF will allocate over $91 million to education in Ukraine in 2026

This was announced by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine continues to cooperate with UNICEF to provide comprehensive support to children, school pupils and educators. During a meeting between the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Oksen Lisovyi, and the newly appointed Head of the UNICEF Office in Ukraine, Anne-Claire Dufay, the parties signed the Annual Work Plan for 2026.

The Ministry of Education and Science noted that this document forms part of the Joint Programme between the Government of Ukraine and UNICEF for 2025–2029.

The Ministry emphasises that UNICEF is one of the largest partners providing systematic support to Ukraine’s education sector. The current cooperation covers three priority areas.

The first area involves expanding equal access to quality pre-school education, as well as supporting the implementation of the new European integration law “On Pre-school Education” and the comprehensive transformation of this sector.

The second area concerns the resumption of the educational process, the creation of a safe and inclusive educational environment for primary and secondary school pupils, and the provision of integrated psychological and psychosocial support to children affected by the war.

The third area is linked to strengthening the career guidance system and developing skills to prepare young people for further education and entry into the labour market.

What the 2026 plan entails

As part of the Annual Plan for 2026, UNICEF is allocating US$91 million to support Ukrainian education. The Ministry of Education and Science explains that this will enable approximately 1 million children to be reached through formal and non-formal education, including early childhood development and youth skills development programmes.

Oksen Lisovyi, Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Science, stated that UNICEF is one of the ministry’s key partners, providing systematic support for Ukrainian education. According to him, the focus of cooperation in 2026 is on children’s access to education, support for teachers, schools and nurseries, energy independence for educational institutions, overcoming learning losses, and strengthening the capacity of the education system at the community level.

Lysovyi also thanked UNICEF for its long-standing cooperation, which, he said, makes it possible to implement important changes right now.

In turn, Anne-Claire Dufay emphasised that for children in Ukraine, learning in a safe environment restores a sense of relief, a familiar rhythm of life and hope for the fulfilment of their dreams.

She noted that UNICEF supports the Ukrainian government to ensure that every child and every young person, regardless of circumstances, has access to quality and inclusive education and can develop their skills.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine separately thanked UNICEF for its consistent support and partnership in the development of Ukrainian education.

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