Teacher's Day 2025 in Ukraine: history, traditions and how to celebrate during the war

Teacher's Day 2025 in Ukraine: history, traditions and how to celebrate during the war

3 October 2025, Ukraine. In 2025, Education Workers' Day (Teacher's Day) in Ukraine falls on Sunday, 5 October. Schools usually congratulate teachers on the Friday before. This year, the date coincides with World Teachers' Day (5 October), which is proclaimed by UNESCO.

When we celebrate:

In Ukraine, the professional holiday of teachers was established by Presidential Decree No. 513/94 of 11 September 1994 - every year on the first Sunday of October. So, in 2025, we celebrate on 5 October; in educational institutions, congratulations are usually held on Friday, 3 October.

Brief history and international context:

World Teachers' Day, held annually on 5 October, commemorates the role of teachers and the date of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, a core document on the rights, training and working conditions of educators. Ukraine, while maintaining the national tradition of the first Sunday in October, harmonises the celebration with the UNESCO international framework.

Traditions in Ukraine:

The usual formats include ceremonial line-ups, the Student Government Day, themed concerts and class greetings, letters of thanks and useful gifts. As the official date often falls on a Sunday, the main activities take place on Friday.

How they celebrate during the war:

The main priority is safety. The organisation of holidays depends on the security situation in the region; the academic year 2024/25 runs from 2 September 2024 to 30 June 2025. In its explanations, the Ministry of Education and Science advises to take into account air raid protocols and the capacity of shelters; mass events should be short, dispersed or online. Inviting a large number of parents is undesirable, as shelters are mostly designed for children and staff only. In practice, schools are increasingly replacing high-profile concerts with charitable initiatives such as fairs and collections for the needs of the Defence Forces.

Examples of 2025 formats that work:

- A charity fair instead of a concert: selling goodies and crafts to raise funds to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- Classroom mini-activities: short greetings within the classroom or parallels with a ready-made shelter route and briefing.
- Online congratulations: video letters, digital cards, collecting gratitude in social networks - without crowds and with the ability to join in even from the shelter.

What to give a teacher during the war:
Instead of lavish bouquets, practical and personal items are preferred: a profile book, a certificate for an online course, useful equipment for remote work. Symbolic donations to verified fees are also appropriate - with the consent of the teacher or school. Personalised greetings and useful gifts are recommended in the 2025 media selections.

A safety guide for schools and communities:

1. Shelter and communication plan: route, responsible persons, checking the capacity of the shelter.

2. Keep it short and sweet: divide the celebration into small groups.

3. Preparedness for an alarm: immediate termination of the event, organised transition to a shelter, registration of children.

4. Online alternative: use remote greetings for higher risks.

5. Don't overload the shelter: don't invite «extraordinary» guests.

Reference:
- The official date in Ukraine is the first Sunday of October; in 2025, it will be 5 October.
- World Teachers' Day: 5 October, under the auspices of UNESCO (ILO/UNESCO Recommendation 1966).