DECIDE is a Swiss-Ukrainian Project ‘Decentralization for Improved Democratic Education’. The project supports educational reforms and the decentralisation process in Ukraine, aiming to develop an effective education governance system.
The main goal of the project is to support communities to get involved in democratic governance and obtain equal access to quality education.
DECIDE is implemented by the DOCCU NGO in partnership with the Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH) with support of Switzerland, represented by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
DECIDE aims to introduce and develop democratic, transparent, and accountable school governance in communities, strengthen their role in public life, and involve all citizens in decision-making in communities, including pupils, teachers, school heads, local self-government, parents, media representatives, and others.
Focused on developing a decentralised education governance system in communities, at the sub-regional and regional levels.
The activities in this component enhance the capacity of authorities to implement the decentralisation reform in education, including the development and implementation of education strategies.
Importantly, the professional competencies of representatives of community management bodies, as well as civil servants involved in implementing education reform, are improved.
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The component facilitates the introduction of new methods and tools to develop civil society and encourage citizen involvement in education governance.
At the national level, DECIDE promotes the development of mechanisms for political dialogue, creation of an effective regulatory framework for the decentralisation of education governance and introduction of effective learning and knowledge management.
Focused on strengthening democratic schools as educational centres of their communities.
Converting schools (particularly in rural areas) into community educational centres to more democratic and accountable governance of educational institutions, while also strengthening their role in public life.
DECIDE encourages citizens to take part in education governance by introducing practical tools to involve the public in educational governance processes.
The Project encourages parents, pupils and teachers to collaborate with local authorities and the community in planning social projects.
Promoting the development of effective education governance models at regional, sub-regional, and local levels (in communities). Support is provided to partner regions for elaborating regional and local development strategies, optimise functions for effective education governance, establish inter-municipal cooperation, and develop an appropriate regulatory framework.
Providing technical support in formation and development of a professional community of managers and employees of local education management bodies by strengthening the institutional capacity of key associations and civil society organisations (CSOs) that work with communities.
Facilitating cooperation between key ministries and agencies in planning, implementing, and coordinating education reforms in terms of decentralising education governance. It is performed through providing targeted expert support, technical assistance for reform communication activities, developing information and training materials, training courses for civil servants and local government officials, and conducting national sociological research
Developing practical tools to engage citizens in education governance in communities.
Providing technical and expert suppor for organising training for representatives of public authorities, local council members, teachers, school principals, schoolchildren and representatives of civil society organisations in target communities. The training covers democracy and human rights, democratisation of education governance and quality management in education.
Engaging international experts to establish functional school councils in target communities to enable the public to actively participate in school governance.
Designing training courses, programmes and online educational tools for pupils on local self-governance issues.
Promoting civic engagement by encouraging partner schools and communities to collaborate on joint projects related to education, youth, sports, culture, community social events and more.
As part of the implementation of the New Ukrainian School, the Project provides support for the introduction of training programmes on education for democratic citizenship and human rights education (EDC/HRE) into the system of professional development for teachers and school administrators. Training courses and materials to develop civic competencies are created and incorporated into the curricula of pedagogical universities and colleges.
