Almost a hundred schools of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Poltava regions are involved in the Ukrainian-Taiwan project “Leave no one behind partnership”. The goal of the project is innovative education for teachers and high school students. Informatics teachers from 20 educational institutions upgraded their qualifications at UCU, and teenagers from 71 schools have already participated in entrepreneurship and innovation camps. The project is ongoing and another important component of it is the computerization of computer science classrooms in schools. Teachers, students and organizers tell how it happens.
“Schools whose students and teachers complied with the conditions of our project, attended training, are gradually receiving computer equipment or sets of robotics. Depending on what they need more – robotics or laptops, as well as projectors with screens. 46 educational institutions, participants of the entrepreneurship camps, have already received sets of modern equipment,” said Ulyana Pak, coordinator of the “Leave no one behind partnership” project.
During entrepreneurship camps, high school students study the business model canvas, conduct business negotiations, generate their own business ideas and defend projects in teams. According to Ulyana Pak, many of the students’ business ideas have a special mission and social effect. It is not only about profit, but also about impact on society, about interaction and social responsibility.
“When we bring equipment to schools, we invite schoolchildren to a meeting. So that everyone knows that thanks to their efforts, the school received such equipment. You need to be active, involved, caring and look for, use any opportunity. In addition, we tell you that this technique and this training is a gift from the people of Taiwan, which helps us to persevere and develop the youth,” concludes the project coordinator.
Recently, Markiyan Shashkevych Secondary School No. 34 and Lviv Lyceum of the Lviv City Council received 10 sets of robotics for participating in the project.
“Currently, there are not many opportunities to provide the school with modern equipment. We have two computer classes at school and have been teaching robotics for three years. For the elementary school, we bought robot kits. And now, having received 10 new modern sets, we will be able to teach this subject to older students as well,” said the director of secondary comprehensive school No. 34 named after Markiyana Shashkevych Olga Filipishyna.
The school is already implementing a social entrepreneurship project. Pupils are engaged in making dried fruits. The experience at the entrepreneurship camp added to their understanding of the development of their own business.
“We developed the idea of an ethnic cafe with a jazz focus, and at the same time it is a public organization with its own youth center. If there are resources and opportunities in the future, I would gladly do this not only in Ukraine, but also in other countries. So that it would be a place for Ukrainian youth who could come and be interested in Ukrainian culture. Everyone in the camp had their own unique ideas, their own direction,” said Mrhigh school student Danylo Grynko, who came to Lviv from Zaporizhzhia. For a year and a half, the boy lived abroad, in Spain. He remembers how in that place At school, children studied robotics and worked with mini-robots. And for they learned to use computers to program the chips of these robots so that they would travel in circles and perform various movements. The boy hopes that many students in his Lviv school will be interested in such a subject.
“I believe that additional training, such as it was in entrepreneurship camps, outside of school is a preparatory stage for the future of each person. Maybe someone wants to produce their products or provide services. And someone will want to create their own business, where you can do something and get paid for it. We do not know what awaits us, for example, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow. And to get such knowledge is very useful, and in addition to knowledge, we have a gift for the school – robotics,” emphasizes tenth-grader Dmytro.
The project “Leave no one behind partnership” is implemented by the public organization “All-Ukrainian Democratic Forum” with the support of Taiwan. People’s deputy Mykola Kniazhytskyi also supports the project. He always emphasizes how important it is to create comfortable and high-quality conditions for the education of children in Ukraine. So that young people would stay to live and work in their country, make it economically capable and developed.
“Robots are our “superpower”, drones are now helping to win on the front: in the air and at sea. It is very important for children to understand how technology works, to be able to assemble robots. Our partners from Taiwan are interested in us persevering in this war, because otherwise democracy and freedom in the world will be at risk, – Mykola Kniazhytskyi stressed, – Our joint project is distinguished by the fact that it is complex and multifaceted. It’s not just about handing out robots or computers, it’s about involving children and teachers in working together, building communication networks, and learning. And we help those who learn successfully to develop further by providing computers and robotics. And most importantly, children participate in joint projects with their peers from other schools and create a space for innovative development, which obviously has a future.”
