Education during war: why providing students with technology is critically important

The war has severely impacted Ukraine’s education system, particularly in frontline regions, where most students are forced to study remotely. Providing students and teachers with essential technical devices, such as tablets and computers, is critical to minimizing these educational losses.

According to the State Service of Education Quality of Ukraine, in 2024, an analysis was conducted on 117 local education authorities covering 21 regions of the country. The findings revealed that in certain territorial communities, between 10% and 36% of children lack access to a quality digital learning process.

Families displaced by the conflict face additional challenges. Official data indicates that over 1 million children in Ukraine are internally displaced. Many have lost access to personal devices or must study in environments that hinder effective learning. In some cases, multiple children in a household share a single phone for education, making the learning process significantly more difficult.

Another critical group is low-income families with talented children. According to the Ministry of Social Policy, approximately 38% of children in Ukraine live in poverty. These children have immense potential, yet the lack of access to modern educational technologies greatly limits their opportunities for growth.

Rural communities also face significant difficulties, as schools and families there have far fewer technical resources than urban areas. Statistics show that more than 50% of rural schools in Ukraine lack sufficient computers and high-speed internet to facilitate effective remote learning. In many villages, parents cannot afford to buy laptops or tablets for their children, and mobile network coverage is often unstable.

Ensuring students and teachers have access to essential technology is not merely a desirable goal—it is a critical step in maintaining equal access to education. Without this support, educational losses will continue to grow, leading to long-term negative consequences for the entire country. The government and international partners must work together to address this issue, ensuring that Ukrainian children have equal learning opportunities regardless of their location or social status.

Why Are Educational Recovery Initiatives So Important?

The above findings formed the basis for the first project of our charitable organization. Our goal is to collect data on children and teachers who require additional technical resources to improve the effectiveness of the learning process.

Among teachers, we are focusing on those from frontline regions, particularly in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia, who must conduct online lessons but lack modern laptops for effective lesson preparation and communication with students.

For students, we have decided to provide educational kits, including a modern tablet, keyboard, and mouse. This initiative is especially crucial for children from rural areas, displaced families, and low-income households who lack access to quality equipment for remote learning.

Beyond hardware, stable internet access is also a critical issue. Our data shows that over 30% of children in rural areas have limited or unstable internet connections. To address this, we are working on providing mobile access points and financial support for internet plans to families who cannot afford reliable connectivity.

Additionally, access to high-quality educational materials and methodological support for teachers is vital. We are developing a database of free online courses, learning materials, and consultations to help educators adapt to the challenges of remote education.

Our mission is not just to distribute equipment but to create conditions where every student and teacher has equal access to education, regardless of their place of residence or financial situation.