Ukraine receives $125.2 mln under World Bank's LEARN, THRIVE projects for education, healthcare

On December 19, the State Budget of Ukraine received over $125.2 million in concessional financing under the World Bank projects "Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need" (LEARN) and "Transforming Healthcare through Reform and Investments in Efficiency" (THRIVE).

"The Government of Ukraine received $105.7 million under the LEARN project and $19.5 million under the THRIVE project. The funds were credited to the general fund of the state budget," the Finance Ministry said on its website.

It is noted that receiving funding under the LEARN project was made possible due to the fact that almost 8,500 students and teachers gained access to shelters; over 105,000 teachers were trained in accordance with the standards of the New Ukrainian School (NUS) for grade eight and 381,500 eighth-grade students received new textbooks developed in accordance with the NUS for free.

In addition, the educational subvention distribution formula for 2026 was updated to increase the minimum required number of students per school by at least 30% compared to 2025. The key goal of the LEARN project, which has been implemented since 2024, is to improve the educational process under martial law by creating safe and comfortable conditions for students and teachers. Within its framework, the World Bank has concluded agreements with Ukraine for about $420 million, of which more than $305 million has already been transferred to the state budget.

As for the THRIVE project, which involves strengthening the Program of Medical Guarantees and institutional capacity of the National Health Service of Ukraine in order to improve patients’ access to quality medical care and reduce the financial burden on citizens, it has also been implemented in Ukraine since 2024, the Finance Ministry said. Within its framework, the World Bank has already provided Ukraine with about $320 million out of the $454 million envisaged in the agreements, according to the release.

It emphasizes that both projects are implemented using the Program-for-Results (PforR) financial instrument — a financing program tied to the achievement of specific results, which involves providing funds only after the fulfillment of established performance indicators.

"The World Bank’s support is critical for Ukraine’s education and healthcare reforms in the context of war. Since the launch of the projects in 2024, the Bank has already provided $625 million, which allows improving the quality of services and strengthening the resilience of these key sectors," Finance Minister Marchenko said.