Rich Kennett, Teaching and Learning Lead at Excalibur Academies Trust has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, in recognition of his significant contribution to the renewal of the country’s school history education. The award acknowledges Rich’s work in supporting the development of democratic values, critical thinking and intercultural understanding within the Ukrainian national history curriculum.
Ukraine is currently undertaking the complex task of rewriting its national history curriculum in the context of ongoing war. Rich has been closely involved in this work through EuroClio, the European Association of History Educators, where he has collaborated on international history education projects.
Rich worked particularly closely with a friend based in Lviv, whose son is currently serving on the front lines. Knowing his long-standing enthusiasm and expertise in teaching the history of war—especially the Second World War—and experience as an author of history textbooks, she invited Rich to support Ukrainian educators as they grappled with how to approach these sensitive and challenging topics.
One of the key issues facing Ukrainian curriculum writers is how to teach the history of war in a way that balances national narratives with critical reflection. Rich was asked to present training for history teachers and academics involved in writing the new curriculum, focusing on how history is taught in the UK. This included exploring multi-perspective approaches to the Second World War, addressing national narratives thoughtfully, and examining historical actions both positively and critically.
As a result, Rich received a letter of thanks and an advance copy of the Certificate of Appreciation from the Ukrainian Ministry of Education, with the official certificate to follow. In the letter, the Ministry thanked him for helping Ukraine better understand the necessary changes required in the content of its history education.
Both parties have expressed their hope that this professional cooperation will continue in the future. For Rich, the recognition came as a welcome and humbling surprise—“a very nice email to receive”—and stands as a testament to the impact of international collaboration in education, even in the most challenging of times.
