First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, together with Minister of Education and Science Oksen Lisovyi, met in Kyiv with Director for Education and Skills, Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Andreas Schleicher.
He is also known as the initiator of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which allows comparing an education system with global standards. Thanks to this, countries can identify areas that need improvement.
The First Lady thanked Andreas Schleicher and his organization for their cooperation and support of Ukrainian education during the tough period of Russian aggression.
"The joint action plan signed by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2023, and your personal commitment and expert support for the 'New Ukrainian School' reform and vocational education reform have enabled significant progress in these areas. Special thanks for supporting my initiative. You were one of the speakers at the First Ladies and Gentlemen Summit in 2021 when nobody knew about this event yet, and we were just beginning to develop this community and cooperation platform," said the President's wife.
Olena Zelenska emphasized that education is a strategically important component of Ukrainian resilience as it contributes to the preservation and development of the country's potential.
"An important focus of this work is the integration of mental health issues into the educational environment at all levels. In close cooperation with Ukraine's Ministry of Education and Science, the priority project 'Psychosocial support and psychological assistance at all levels of education' is being implemented," said Olena Zelenska.
She stressed that the project involves the widespread integration of knowledge about mental health and self-help skills into educational programs, from kindergarten to university.
The First Lady expressed hope for cooperation with the OECD in this direction: "Ukraine seeks to preserve its children physically and mentally. Despite the war experience, to give them the strength to live, develop, and be happy."
