Finland to Spend €20 Million to Support Ukraine’s High Schools

Finland announced a new €20 million commitment today to help rebuild and reform Ukraine’s education system. The four-year project, titled “Learning2gether2,” will focus specifically on modernizing general upper secondary education (grades 10–12) to align with European standards.

According to a statement from Finland’s foreign ministry, the project addresses a critical request from Kyiv for expertise in educational reform.

While the war continues to damage physical infrastructure, this initiative targets the “soft infrastructure” of the country: the curriculum, teaching methods, and learning outcomes of its next generation.

“Making sure that young people have access to education is one way of supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction and is an investment in the country’s future,” said Ville Tavio, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development.

“Education builds hope and will boost Ukraine’s productivity and competitiveness,” Mr. Tavio continued.

The Finnish consultancy firm Niras Finland Oy was selected through an open tender to provide the technical assistance required on the ground. They will work directly with the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science, which has been a key partner in designing the initiative.

From Memorization to Critical Thinking

This investment will reportedly support the “New Ukrainian School” reform, a massive national overhaul launched in 2017.

The reform moves the system away from the heavy memorization typical of the Soviet era toward competency-based learning. This means teaching students how to apply knowledge, think critically, and solve problems, skills essential for Ukraine’s eventual integration into the European Union.

Finland, famous for its high PISA rankings and teacher quality, is viewed as the ideal mentor for this transition.

A History of Support

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Finland has provided approximately €3 billion in total assistance to Ukraine, including defense material and humanitarian aid.

While military aid often grabs headlines, long-term development projects like this are crucial for stabilizing the country.

The education sector has been hit particularly hard, with thousands of schools damaged by shelling and the COVID-19 pandemic causing years of disruption before the war even began.