“The Little Prince. Ukraine loves animals” is an innovative education programme for schoolchildren that promotes the idea of humane treatment of animals. The specially designed programme covers the subjects of harmonious coexistence of people and animals, the well-being of quadrupeds, and also warns against the consequences of the irresponsible and cruel treatment of animals.
In 2016, the pilot project was implemented in six schools in Lviv. Later, 230 biology teachers completed the training. In 2017, the course was successfully integrated into the curriculum for seventh grade students in all 138 schools in the city.
Those are the last five classes in zoology. The course consists of four practical classes in school classrooms and one visit to Lviv-based Lev municipal enterprise. Students do interactive exercises in special workbooks, and while at the Lev LME, they can witness the consequences of former dog and cat owners’ irresponsibility.
Children willingly learn the new material. They are also really helpful in drawing attention to the problem of homeless animals and helping them. In 2017, Lviv hosted a city-wide school drawings contest “Treat your pet as you treat yourself” that was held within the project framework. The winners’ works were used as illustrations for the 2018 calendar, and the proceeds from its sale will be donated to rescue dogs in the shelter in the suburbs.
The educational course is intended not only to spread the idea of humane attitude to animals among young people but also to change the mentality of the older generation. That is why teachers take another course, developed jointly the Lviv City Education Methodology Centre. The programme includes the study of innovative teaching methods for children and a practical training with a zoologist and a veterinarian.
In 2018, the project is scheduled to start in the city of Irpin. Negotiations are underway with educational departments of Kyiv, Dnipro and Mykolayiv.
In 2018, our company conducts meetings with industry experts for Lviv educators. The cycle of such events was opened by a training seminar of animal behaviourist Oksana Halan.
Master classes for children within the “The Little Prince. Ukraine that Loves Animals” course are held during big city events. In Lviv, those are the Children’s Forum and the City Workshop.
In July 2019, the project team enlisted the support of the (non)Conference for Teachers EdCamp Ukraine and presented the course program at several events. This was the beginning of trainings for biology teachers from all over Ukraine.
From the fall of 2019, training under the innovative program “Little Prince. Ukraine that loves pets” was attended by 110 teachers from 20 regions of Ukraine. This means that in addition to all seventh-graders in Lviv, from now on an average of 5,500 students from different schools in Ukraine will be taught humane education every year.
