On 8–9 October, the fifth educational retreat for 22 partner hromadas of the Swedish-Ukrainian Polaris Programme – Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine were held in the Solone Hromada, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. This time, the space for inspiration, reflection, and co-designing the future of education was provided by Solone Hromada – a long-standing partner of the Programme and a vivid example of a systemic approach to reforming the school network, creating a modern educational environment, and engaging the community in educational change.
Education that Grows from an Idea
The retreat traditionally combined immersion in real-life cases, open discussions, and creative workshops. Its structure – from the “breath in” and the birth of ideas to the “fruits of growth” and “new seeds” – symbolically reflected the life cycle of educational change.
The event brought together Iryna Hrytsai, Deputy Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast State Administration; Olha Lozova, Director of the Department of Education and Science of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration; Mykhailo Kopeiko, Head of Solone Settlement Hromada; Susanna Dellans, Team Leader, SALAR International Representative in Ukraine; and Programme experts in education at the local and regional levels led by Oleh Fasolya.
According to Solone Settlement Head Mykhailo Kopeiko, the role of local self-government in shaping the educational network has changed dramatically:
“The modern role of local authorities is to combine strategic vision based on data with the courage to implement it. This is the only way to create a competitive educational environment where the interests of the child are the highest priority. Such an approach allows us to shift from financing walls to investing in the quality of education and to create genuine ‘growth points’ for every child.”
“The best changes begin where people look in the same direction. The Polaris educational retreats are a space where experiences, ideas, and solutions meet for the sake of better education for Ukraine’s children. We are grateful to Solone Hromada for its sincerity, leadership, and willingness to share experiences that inspire others to act,” said Susanna Dellans, Team Leader, SALAR International Representative in Ukraine in her welcoming remarks.
From Data Analysis to Educational Decisions
After the opening remarks by Susanna Dellans, Olha Lozova, and Iryna Hrytsai, the participants moved to the practical part – studying the Solone Case: “How We Weren’t Afraid”.
From Data Analysis to Educational Decisions
After the opening remarks by Susanna Dellans, Olha Lozova, and Iryna Hrytsai, the participants moved to the practical part – studying the Solone Case: “How We Weren’t Afraid”.
During the session, Iryna Hrekova presented the stages of optimising the hromada’s educational network – from diagnosis and data collection to decision-making and implementation. The workshop “Data that Tell a Story” demonstrated how competent analysis of demographics, finances, and learning outcomes helps communities shape effective education policy.
The expert encouraged colleagues to rely on data as a trustworthy compass for decision-making, grounded in analysis and objective conclusions.
Key takeaways from the workshop included:
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It is important not to stop after the first stage of change: established approaches help move forward with greater confidence and consistency.
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Transforming the educational environment must be comprehensive and involve all stakeholders.
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The participation of young people is crucial – their views on school and community should be considered in planning.
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A modern educational space should go beyond the learning process and become an open, multifunctional hub that serves the needs of all community members throughout the day.
After the workshop, participants worked in “battle teams” to find solutions to real educational challenges and later visited schools – the so-called growth points where reform is already in action.
School as a Living Ecosystem
At the Nadiyiv Gymnasium Branch and the Solone Lyceum, participants witnessed how collaboration between lyceum and gymnasium operates in practice in the form of “living education” – open learning spaces, interdisciplinary integration, and a trusting atmosphere.
Teachers presented their professional development trajectories, shared how the Centre for Professional Development of Teaching Staff supports educators in adapting to reform challenges, while students gave TED-style talks, presenting their ideas for an “ideal educational space.”
At Solone Lyceum, participants explored modern educational facilities – specialised classrooms, an Inclusive Resource Centre, sports areas, and a STEAM lab – and learned about solutions ensuring inclusivity and accessibility.
The day concluded with a panel discussion “Educational Space 2.0: How the Future Looks Today”, which explored schools as open spaces for the whole community – places for meetings, courses, and events. Solone Lyceum became a vivid example of a modern vision of education, showing how schools can evolve beyond traditional learning to become platforms for partnership between students, parents, and the hromada.
Solone Hromada in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast demonstrated how a systemic approach to forming an educational network, grounded in its own resources and capacities, can become a powerful driver for youth development.
Day Two: Partnership that Nurtures
On 9 October in Dnipro, participants continued their work in the format of a partnership dialogue. Pilot hromadas from the first and second waves of the Polaris education direction discussed cooperation results, exchanged experiences, and developed proposals for new educational initiatives.
The most valuable part of the second day was the exchange of experiences between hromadas of different waves, moderated by Oleh Fasolya, Artem Horobets, Viacheslav Dolid, Tetiana Ozerova, Olena Rusnachenko, and Serhii Dyatlenko. Participants discussed how transformation processes are being implemented in practice – what helps overcome difficulties, how change teams are formed, and which solutions bring the most tangible results.
Pilot hromadas presented their achievements – from establishing modern lyceums and transforming educational networks to developing effective management systems and introducing sustainable development mechanisms.
First-wave hromadas shared tools for addressing educational challenges and analysed the first results of cooperation with the Programme, while second-wave hromadas outlined their needs and formulated roadmaps for further development.
“Power for education means focusing community resources on the quality of learning – equipping modern lyceums with qualified staff, stable funding, and a strong material base.
For students, it means access to laboratories, digital technologies, and comfortable classrooms.
For teachers, it means stable workloads, professional development support, and the opportunity to work in a competitive and motivating environment,” said Zhanna Kaplouk, Director of the Education Department of the Poltava City Council.
During the final session, participants shared insights and concrete steps they plan to implement upon returning home and received invitations to join a school project competition on the value of education.
Summing up, Oleh Fasolya, Head of the Education at the local and regional levels area of the Polaris Programme at the Local and Regional Levels, emphasised:
“The fifth retreat once again proved that successful education reform begins not with decrees but with trust, understanding, and joint action. The educational managers gathered here are the ‘beacons’ showing the way for other hromadas.”
The Polaris Educational Retreats are more than a training or a forum. They are a space of trust and inspiration where a new culture of education management is taking root – one based on partnership, analysis, openness, and a shared goal: quality education for every child in every hromada. Practical cases, open discussion of challenges, and the awareness that each hromada is unique – and that the path of school transformation is individual – create invaluable experience that unites participants and inspires further change.
