One of the key functions of the new amalgamated Ukrainian hromadas (local self-governments) is to manage their own education system. Education is also one of the largest functions, budget-wise. With this in mind, the SKL Internationals project joined forces with the Khmelnitskyi region in western Ukraine. Within this project, SKL International’s experts supports local councils and administrations in the newly-created municipalities. The project team conducts analysis of the local situation in the education sector, develops local strategies and plans for education management, and assist in setting up the education management functions. The experts also prepares methodologies and process guidelines for local politicians and civil servants in this field, as well as facilitating cooperation between the local and regional level authorities in education.
Insuffcient methodological support from central and local authorities, lead to accumulation of vast practical experience of providing effective management of education on the hromada level, which is a valuable analytical and scientifc-methodological resource for continuation of sectoral decentralization in the sphere of education. But the best practices of hromadas are not systematic and are very fragmented. Hromadas of one oblast don’t know the specifc issues on education management in another oblast. Hence it reduces the effectiveness of sectoral reforms. With the purpose of institutional sustaining of the collected materials the Swedish-Ukrainian project jointly with the Department of education and science of Khmelnitskyi oblast Administration and Dunayevetska hromada decided to establish Resource Center for collecting, systematization and distribution of all best practices on effective management of education in hromadas.
For effective work of the Knowledge Center online platform was created – http://wiki.sklinternational.org.ua/
A new capacity building activity aimed at education managers and education stakeholders from amalgamated hromadas was launched in June 2017 – a closed Facebook group, which shall act as online community. The community is managed by a group of experts – it has members from the project, Ministry of Education and Science, Khmelnitsky Oblast Education Department, Dunaevetska hromada and local education management resource centre. The Facebook group was launched on June 22 and by the end of June had 81 member.