Teacher from Irpin wins anniversary Global Teacher Prize Ukraine
Фото: Global Teacher Prize Ukraine
The winner of the 10th-anniversary Global Teacher Prize Ukraine, organized for the tenth time by the NGO Osvitoria, is Svitlana Merkulova, an English teacher from Irpin.
Rubryka reports, citing the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
This year's anniversary ceremony was traditionally held to coincide with World Teachers' Day. Its main slogan was the hashtag #вчителіважливі (#teachersmatter). Particular attention was given to educators who continue teaching children despite the war, evacuation, and service in Ukraine's Defense Forces.
Photo: Global Teacher Prize Ukraine
The main award went to Svitlana Merkulova, a foreign language teacher from Irpin. She will receive UAH 1 million (around €19,200) for winning the prize. Her former students include graduates who scored the maximum 200 points on Ukraine's national admission exams, as well as winners of regional academic competitions.
But what matters most in her work, the teacher says, is that English has become more than just a school subject for her students — it has become a way to talk about the future: to debate important issues even in a shelter, plan trips, and dream. Merkulova also teaches her fellow educators tools for providing emotional support to children.
The country's best teacher received UAH 1 million in prize money.
"Being a teacher today is not simply about teaching your subject well. Being a teacher today means keeping the light on when everything around you is dark. It means being the reliable adult who helps a child feel grounded and regain faith in their own abilities. And standing here, I want to say again: this award is about you. It is a victory for every Ukrainian teacher who walks into a classroom every day, teaches online, or works in shelters amid air raid sirens and explosions. We must maintain our resilience. We enter the classroom not only to teach children — we also heal their souls. The mental health, emotional resilience, and sense of dignity of our children are more important today than any grades," Merkulova said from the stage.
Photo: Global Teacher Prize Ukraine
Winners of the other categories
"Preschool" special category: Vira Berezhok, a kindergarten teacher at Municipal Preschool Institution No. 21 of the Vinnytsia City Council, won and received UAH 500,000 from UNICEF to fulfill her educational dream. The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and UNICEF have now supported this special category for the fourth time. Ms. Berezhok was awarded by Minister of Education and Science Andriy Butenko and Shamiza Abdulla, Acting Head of the UNICEF Representation in Ukraine.
"Teacher-Defender" special award (for teachers with military service experience): Oleksandr Chuchaiev, a history teacher from the Kirovohrad region, who currently serves in Ukraine's Defense Forces as commander of the "Pryvyd" unmanned aerial systems company of the 41st Separate Mechanized Brigade. The winner will receive a cash prize of UAH 500,000 (around €9,600).
"Ukrainians' Choice": Davyd Kuzmych, a technology and computer science teacher from Boryslav, Lviv region. For the third time, the whole country chose the winner of this award from among ten finalists on the Diia.Osvita platform: 1,615 out of 6,294 Ukrainians voted for him. From Kyivstar, the teacher received an educational trip.
"Mathematics Teacher" category: Yuliia Zubareva from Zaporizhzhia. She received UAH 500,000 (around €9,600) from the category partner, SoftServe, and the award was presented by its co-founder and board member Taras Kytsmei.
"Chemistry Teacher" category: Olena Trubchanina, a chemistry teacher from Pokrovsk, Donetsk region. She received half a million hryvnias from the category partner, Biopharma.
This year, Tetiana Hlebova, a teacher of Ukrainian language and literature from Mariupol, received three special awards at once: "Choice of the Heart," "Teacher of Integrity," and "Inclusivity."
"Financial Education Teacher" award: Serhii Bychenko, a teacher of financial literacy and technology from Kharkiv. The winner will go on an educational trip from the Credobank Foundation.
Talents for Ukraine special awards from KSE Foundation: Yuliia Zubareva, Daniil Doroshenko, and Roman Chernov in the STEM category. Each will receive $5,000 for their own development.
Over ten years, Global Teacher Prize Ukraine has collected almost 30,000 applications, nominations, and teacher stories. In the 2026 anniversary season, the public organization "Osvitoria," the prize's organizer, received 1,169 applications and 1,723 nominations from Ukrainians. PwC Ukraine served as an independent consultant verifying the transparency and correctness of the process of determining the winner of Global Teacher Prize Ukraine.
Background
The Global Teacher Prize Ukraine is organized by Osvitoria with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine; Diia.Osvita, the national edutainment platform for up-to-date knowledge and skills; UNICEF; the European Union Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine (EUACI); the IT company SoftServe; the pharmaceutical company Biopharma; the Credobank Foundation; KSE Foundation and Talents for Ukraine; the company Uklon; the Foundation for Educational Initiatives; and the company EdPro.
1+1 media is the general media partner. Information support is provided by the film and television platform Kyivstar TV, Suspilne Broadcasting, Ukrainska Pravda, hromadske, the "Window of Recovery" media network, the positive news and stories outlet SHOTAM, the media outlet "Lachen Writes," ProKyiv, ProDnipro, Cultural Forces of Ukraine (an association of cultural figures supporting Ukraine's Defense Forces), Jetsetter, and Ukrainian Fashion Publishing, along with the information partners Sensy Buro and Teenergizer.
PwC Ukraine serves as the independent consultant verifying the transparency and correctness of the selection process for the national Global Teacher Prize Ukraine.
