On 17 April 2025, in Poltava, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) signed the first Declaration on Building Integrity in General Secondary Education in Ukraine. The partner was the Integrity Hub, which operates on the basis of the Omelnytskyi Lyceum (Omelnyk village, Kremenchuk district).
The document proves an important partnership aimed at systematic implementation of the principles of honesty, transparency and responsibility in Ukrainian schools. The Declaration defines key areas of cooperation between the NACP and the Hub. The joint work will include various educational activities aimed at raising awareness of the nature of corruption and its devastating consequences. In addition, the document provides for the introduction of anti-corruption standards into the internal processes of educational institutions, which will help create a transparent and fair educational environment.
"It is at school age that the worldview of young people is formed, and the values learned during this period will determine their future decisions. We cannot force people to be virtuous by any punitive mechanisms. By educating the younger generation on the principles of integrity, we are shaping the worldview of a generation of Ukrainians who do not tolerate corruption. That is why schools, and later vocational and higher education institutions, should become centres of openness, honesty and mutual respect - the principles that are the foundation of a strong and transparent state,’ said Mykola Korneliuk, Deputy Head of the NACP, during the signing of the document.
In her turn, the head of Omelnytskyi Lyceum Kateryna Pavlushenko confirmed her readiness to continue implementing awareness-raising, educational and management initiatives that will help create a virtuous educational environment.
Alyona Khylko, Project Manager of the NACP's Integrity Office, emphasised the potential of the Declaration: ‘This document is not just a confirmation of partnership. The Declaration opens up the opportunity for educational institutions to become true ambassadors of integrity, sharing their positive experience with colleagues across Ukraine. We hope that this will inspire other educational institutions to join the initiative.’
As part of the visit, representatives of the NACP Integrity Office also held a series of educational events for students and principals of general secondary education and vocational education institutions and their managers.
As a reminder, on 17 April, the NACP team visited Poltava on a working visit, during which they also met with civil society activists, media, local authorities and law enforcement officers.
For reference. In 2021, the Integrity Office launched the Transparent School project to transform the educational environment and foster the value of integrity among participants in the educational process. It involves the creation of Integrity Hubs at schools to implement anti-corruption topics and promote a culture of integrity in educational institutions.
The first hub in Ukraine was launched in 2023 at Vinnytsia Gymnasium No. 24 and has already brought together 32 friendly schools. Currently, 19 Integrity Hubs have been opened in Ukraine, bringing together 1054 schools in 24 regions. The educators involved in the project have access to specially developed teaching materials on anti-corruption and integrity, informal learning, and participate in trainings and webinars.
The hub at the Omelnytskyi Lyceum has been operating since 2023 as an innovative space for implementing the principles of honesty, transparency, academic integrity and integrity. In May 2024, the lyceum hosted a regional educational forum ‘Culture of Integrity in Educational Management as a Key to Quality Education: From Principles to Practice’, which brought together more than 100 educators from across the country. The educational institution also joined the NACP ‘s all-Ukrainian initiative ’Integrity for Education" and signed memoranda of cooperation with Vinnytsia Lyceum No. 20. An envelope and a stamp on the topic of integrity were created at the initiative of students of the Omelnytskyi Lyceum.
