Open budget: Learning from the Open School Platform in Donetsk oblast, Ukraine

The case study developed as part of IIEP‐UNESCO Research Project ‘Open Government: Learning From Experience’ analyses how an open government approach is being applied in Ukraine to resolve the critical issue of non‐transparent school financing through parents’ donations that undermines trust among key educational stakeholders. Developed in 2016, the Open School Platform (OS) is an online tool that allows parents to visualise the school’s budget, needs and expenditures in an easy‐to‐read format. The study shows that OS has contributed to: improved trust among key stakeholders, improved communication and collaboration between school personnel and local public authorities, and more effective planning. But it also confirms that the use of ICT can lead to inequalities in poor rural communities having low levels of Internet access or computer literacy. It concludes on the importance of open government for shifting to a new paradigm of cooperation and partnership. And it recommends providing access to information in line with the Open Data Charter; ensuring a legal framework for citizen participation; using handy and accessible technological solutions; and following a ‘learning‐by‐doing’ approach to build up social capital for constructive interaction with authorities.