Education is the foundation for Ukraine's reconstruction

The recent URC conference in Gdansk underscored that Ukraine's reconstruction hinges not only on economic and business matters but critically on education. This focus positions education as a fundamental pillar for development, mirroring its importance in Poland's own economic growth.

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If you plan for a year, plant rice; if for ten years, plant trees; if for a hundred years, educate people.

Discussions at the conference, which included Ukraine's Minister of Education Barbara Nowacka, alongside representatives from the Ukrainian and Japanese governments, the World Bank, UNICEF, and Polish energy company PGE, highlighted the long-term vision required. Katarzyna Rozenfeld, vice-president of PGE, quoted a Chinese proverb: "If you plan for a year, plant rice; if for ten years, plant trees; if for a hundred years, educate people." This emphasizes the generational impact of educational investment.

Ukraine's first deputy minister of education, Yevhen Kudriavets, explained that educational reforms are necessary now, despite the ongoing war. He noted a significant gap between current educational realities and future needs, stating that reforms initiated today will yield results in ten to fifteen years. Ukraine is actively reforming early and school education with a five-year perspective to ensure its society is prepared for reconstruction, focusing on building human capital, which cannot be developed overnight.

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In education, we have a huge gap between today's reality and what is to come. Reforms introduced today may yield completely different results in ten or fifteen years.

When asked about Poland's educational success, Minister Nowacka attributed it to a philosophy where business and the economy serve society, with education as the bedrock of prosperity. She pointed to Poland's current economic standing and strong passport as partly due to its education system. Key achievements include granting teachers autonomy, which they have maintained regardless of political shifts, and a strong emphasis on STEM subjects, evidenced by mandatory math exams in primary and secondary schools.

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One of our greatest achievements was giving teachers autonomy. Regardless of what was happening politically, teachers maintained it.