Today, Smart Osvita marks its 9th anniversary. Over the years, the team has become a key driver of change in Ukrainian education, from supporting the New Ukrainian School reform to providing rapid responses to wartime challenges. Smart Osvita is focused on ensuring that children can learn in person, safely, and in dignified conditions.
“Our priority today is getting children back to in-person learning. With teachers. With friends. In their schools, not at home with a parent’s phone,” says Ivanna Kobernyk, Head and co-founder of Smart Osvita.
PowerSchool: Energy-Independent Schools for Frontline Regions
This year’s flagship project, PowerSchool / Energy-Resilient School, aims to equip schools in frontline regions with alternative power systems that enable learning to continue during blackouts.
These are not generators or portable power banks— these are stationary battery systems that keep school shelters running and can also power part of the school building.
The first eight systems have already been installed in schools in Sumy region (Konotop, Okhtyrka, Lypova Dolyna), Zaporizhzhia, Kushuhum, and Kryvyi Rih. Installations took place over the summer to minimize disruptions to the learning process and have already proven effective. For example, in Kryvyi Rih, the system kept the shelter powered during national exams despite electricity outages.
The project is possible thanks to donor support of the Edmond Nielsen Legacy and the GlobalGiving Foundation. The team is also preparing a training program for schools and communities on how to make a school safely, sustainably, and cost-effectively energy-independent.
Psychosocial Support for Those Who Teach During Wartime
Another strategic focus of Smart Osvita is psychological support for educators. Since the start of the full-scale war, the team has invested in systemic training for those who work with children under stress, air raids, and loss.
Since 2023, over 1,400 educators have completed the Psychosocial Support for Educators course and received 60-hour / 2 ECTS credits certification. The program was also introduced in higher education: students from pedagogical universities in Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, and Dnipro participated in the course. Two institutions have already made it an elective course.
A key role in scaling the initiative is played by 128 school psychologists, who were trained as instructors. This is a nationwide support network whose members:
- Train colleagues in psychological first aid for children.
- Help respond appropriately to parents’ concerns.
- Share tools for self-care and stress recovery.
- Conduct both online and offline training in schools and communities.
“Essentially, we are teaching psychological first aid — something everyone in Ukraine needs today,” explains Ivanna Kobernyk, Head of Smart Osvita.
At the same time, the team is developing Resilience.help, an open-access platform with practical tools for teachers, students, and parents support. Over the past year, the platform’s audience has doubled, and its materials are now part of training programs and self-study resources. The program’s effectiveness and approach are backed by a research study conducted in partnership with Ivan Franko State University in Zhytomyr.
In 2024–2025, the program’s results were published in academic journals, including Cambridge University Press and the University of Illinois journal.
The program is based on a unified trauma-informed approach and was created in partnership with Americares Foundation, Inc., with contributions from psychologist Svitlana Roiz and an academic team from the university.
“Caring for mental health is caring for the next generation. Together, we are building strong walls of psychological resilience for children, teachers, and the country as a whole,” emphasizes the program team.
A Strong Team and Media as Pillars of Change
A special role in outreach and awareness is played by the New Ukrainian School media, developed within the organization under the leadership of Sergii Horbachov and Anna Murlikina.
Thanks to the editorial team, the platform’s materials have become more insightful, timely, and responsive to the needs of educators.
9 years of Smart Osvita is a story of experience, consistency, and a constant readiness to evolve, seek solutions, and keep working. More work, new partnerships, and responses to new challenges lie ahead.
“I’m deeply grateful to all colleagues, partners, and donors for your cooperation and support. The most important thing we need today is to unite our efforts, and this is exactly what we’re doing,” concludes Ivanna Kobernyk.