On 19 November, the Hoshchia hromada in Rivne oblast became the starting point for in-depth analytical and strategic work in the field of education. Experts from the “Education at the Local and Regional Levels” area of the Swedish-Ukrainian Polaris Programme – Oleh Fasolia and Vyacheslav Dolid – visited the hromada to work jointly with local authorities and educators on shaping a development vision and launching the process of creating a comprehensive Education Strategy for the Hoshchia hromada.
This visit was not only a working trip but also an event that activated dialogue, clarified future plans, and gave new momentum to the development of the hromada’s entire education system.
The day began with a strategic discussion with hromada head Mykola Panchuk and the education management team. Participants discussed key challenges, opportunities for cooperation, and priority areas that need strengthening in the near future.
“An education strategy is not a document for the sake of having a document. It is a tool that helps build a shared development logic, synchronise efforts, and focus resources where they will bring the greatest impact,” emphasised Oleh Fasolia.
“We wanted to hear the real situation and real expectations, and that is exactly the dialogue that took place today,” he added.
The experts noted that the Hoshchia hromada already has important prerequisites for systemic development, including proactive administrators and a motivated school community.
Launch of the Working Group: the First Step Towards a Local Strategy
The next step was the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Committee responsible for drafting the Education Development Strategy of the Hoshchia hromada for 2025–2031 – the team that will work on the strategy over the coming months. The committee includes school leaders, teachers, students, representatives of local authorities, and the wider community.
The Polaris experts presented the strategic planning model, outlined the structure of the future strategy, and agreed on formats for further cooperation with the team.
“An education strategy is always about people and for people. Its strength lies in its ability to unite professional communities, parents, and decision-makers around a shared goal,” underlined Vyacheslav Dolid.
“Our task is to provide the hromada with working tools and help build a process that will function effectively for years, regardless of changes,” he added.
Participants identified key problem areas – from the quality of the learning environment and specialised education to communication between schools, the hromada, and parents. This became the foundation for the next phase.
Building an Action Plan: Focus on Results
After a break, the working team moved on to defining concrete steps. Over two hours, the participants developed a list of activities to be implemented by the hromada between December 2025 and May 2026.
The plan includes:
- analysis of the education network and school capacity;
- assessment of management quality and internal processes;
- evaluation of the readiness of community and parent groups to participate in strategic planning;
- development of specialised and career-oriented pathways;
- planning professional development for teachers;
- strengthening horizontal cooperation between schools.
The Polaris experts helped structure the tasks, highlighting what can be done quickly and what requires longer-term systematic work.
Final Emphasis: What Data are Needed for a Quality Strategy
The final stage of the visit focused on methods of collecting the information needed for the next steps. The Polaris team presented evaluation tools – from questionnaires to analytical forms – that will help obtain a reliable and complete picture of the hromada’s education system.
The experts stressed that any strategy must be based on facts, not assumptions, and that the Hoshchia hromada is ready for thorough analytical work.
This visit marked the beginning of a new stage. The Hoshchia hromada demonstrated readiness for dialogue, openness to change, and a commitment to improving education in a systematic rather than fragmented way.
The Polaris expert team will continue to support the process at every stage – from analysis to the final strategic document.
Hoshchia is taking an important step that will shape the educational future of hundreds of children. And this is only the beginning.
