You're reading: Implementation of innovative technologies starts in Ukrainian schools

The pilot version of the Open World national project for the introduction of innovative technologies in secondary schools has been launched in Ukraine, Head of the State Agency for Investments and Management of National Projects Vladyslav Kaskiv has said.

"As we all know, children make up 20% of the country’s population and 100% of its future. This is a project that looks to Ukraine’s future. The project, which is literally very important, because its implementation in fact will define Ukraine’s compatibility for many decades ahead," he said during a press conference hosted by Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.

According to Kaskiv, this project suggests technical solutions for the improvement of education quality.

"In fact, the implementation of this project will make Ukraine a flagship in the process of the introduction of new interactive information technologies in education in Europe," Kaskiv said.

He added that the creation of a 4G communications network and introduction of an interactive education system would make Ukraine the world leader in the sphere of education.

The pilot project will be realized from Jan. 11 until March 23, 2012.

The project involves 704 secondary schools in almost all regions of Ukraine, except for Kirovohrad, Khmelnytsky, Chernivtsi regions and Sevastopol City.

A total of 5,592 teachers of twelve subjects under the seventh grade program will participate in the program.

The number of students participating in the project exceeds 14,000.

According to Open World project Director Ihor Kurus, rural areas will be the most active participants of the project.

He added that the national project’s overall costs are estimated by Hr 4.8 billion, including Hr 1.2 billion from the national budget.

A part of budget funds will be spent on training teachers.

The first stage of the project will be completed in four years, during which students of the fifth to ninth grades (over 1.5 million children) will be provided with the latest equipment.

It is expected that in future schools will stop using printed textbooks. The textbooks are being digitized today