First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska visited a gymnasium in the Kyiv region together with Minister of Education and Science Andrii Butenko, Head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration Tymur Tkachenko, and Advisor – Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Barrier-Free Environment Tetiana Lomakina, where they attended the nationwide “Language of Dignity” lesson.
“The children are told how important the wording we use is. How important it is, when referring to anyone, to see the person first and foremost. That is why, for example, we say not ‘disabled person,’ but specifically ‘person with a disability,’” Olena Zelenska noted.
One of the important stages in preparing the lesson was strategic consultations with teenagers. They were asked how they understand barrier-free accessibility, what visible and invisible barriers they encounter at school and in everyday life, and what conversations with adults they feel are missing. These insights, together with the team’s expertise, formed the basis of a lesson toolkit that teachers can adapt to the age, needs, and context of their class.
The nationwide lesson is being implemented as part of the National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment, initiated by First Lady Olena Zelenska, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and UNICEF, with the support of Advisor – Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Barrier-Free Environment Tetiana Lomakina and Advisor – Commissioner of the President for Children’s Rights and Child Rehabilitation Daria Herasymchuk. The teaching materials were prepared by EdEra, the Centre for Social Change and Behavioural Economics, and Oschadbank.
“Every modern school must give children not only knowledge in academic subjects, but also knowledge of how to be a decent person and how to foster greater humanity around them. This, too, makes the world – and our lives in it – barrier-free,” the First Lady emphasized.
The gymnasium is a fully barrier-free educational institution that opened at the beginning of this year with financial support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The institution has a shelter, STEM laboratories, and specialized workshops for practical skills, robotics, cooking, and sewing. It was built in accordance with all the requirements of the National Strategy for Reforming the School Meals System. The kitchen is fully fitted with modern equipment and is expected to begin operating this autumn.