This year, the Swiss-Ukrainian EGAP Program, implemented by East Europe Foundation, became a partner of the Global Teacher Prize Ukraine for the first time. EGAP Program supports the “Teacher-Innovator” nomination and funds the development of the award-winning teacher’s project.

Volodymyr Babenko, an informatics teacher at Rozsoshentsi Gymnazium in the Poltava region, became the winner of the special nomination.

Volodymyr has worked at the school for over ten years, teaching Informatics and leading a robotics club. His achievements include preparing a student who won first place in the All-Ukrainian science competition with a project on detecting aerial targets using sound.

The teacher effectively implements project-based learning, the STEAM approach, and gamification, developing students’ critical thinking and teamwork skills. As a trainer for the YABC humanistic initiative, he conducts classes on empathy, nonviolent communication, and resilience, creating a safe environment in the classrooms.

The Swiss-Ukrainian EGAP Program, implemented by East Europe Foundation, and the state digital educational ecosystem Mriia are the partners of the nomination.

 «The educational innovations that Switzerland supports in Ukraine, like Mriia or STEM classrooms in schools, open up new opportunities for learning. Yet it is the teacher who gives real meaning to these tools. It is the teacher who brings technology to life, transforms it into an engaging educational experience, and shows children that knowledge has a true value. That is why, by supporting innovation, we are above all supporting Ukrainian teachers», emphasized Felix Baumann, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Switzerland to Ukraine.

 Victor Liakh, East Europe Foundation President, emphasized that teachers are the main drivers of innovation in communities and schools:  «It is important that educational innovations are born not only in high offices but also in the classrooms. After all, it is the teachers who transform modern ideas into real changes for children. This has always been a priority for EGAP Program and EEF. And Volodymyr Babenko’s example proves once again that the teacher is the main creator of a new educational culture. We are delighted that we can support the realization of his educational dream together with our partners».

The winner will receive 250,000 hryvnias to realize his educational dream: developing the IT Snack platform, which helps schoolchildren learn programming conveniently.

The Global Teacher Prize Ukraine, an annual national award for teachers who are agents of educational change, has been held in Ukraine since 2017.

The Global Teacher Prize Ukraine award for outstanding teachers is organized by Osvitoria with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Diia.Osvita, the state educational ecosystem Mriia, UNICEF, IT company Soft Serve, Sense Bank, the Swiss-Ukrainian EGAP Program implemented by East Europe Foundation, pharmaceutical company Biopharma, KSE Foundation, Talents for Ukraine, EdPro, Grade Education center, Coca-Cola HBC Ukraine, Accord Group, and the Educational Initiatives Foundation. 1+1 media acts as the general media partner, while the film and television platform Kyivstar TV, Suspilne Movlennia (Public Broadcasting), Pedan Buro, Planeta Kino, Children Kinofest, Teenergizer, and Ukrainska Pravda provide information support.