EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AS A TOOL FOR OVERCOMING LEARNING LOSSES AND GAPS IN WARTIME CONDITIONS

The article examines the role of educational content in addressing learning losses and educational gaps caused by the full-scale war in Ukraine. Drawing on international research in cognitive psychology, reading science, and comparative education, the study analyzes the mechanisms through which curriculum design can either exacerbate or mitigate learning losses. The theoretical framework integrates the Simple View of Reading model (Gough & Tunmer, 1986), the Matthew Effect in reading (Stanovich, 1986), and the RAPID framework (World Bank & UNICEF). The analysis demonstrates that mathematics and reading constitute foundational competencies whose disruption triggers cascading academic failures across all subject areas. Special attention is given to the challenges faced by Ukrainian students in occupied territories, refugee children abroad, and those affected by distance learning. The article argues for curriculum prioritization focused on fundamental literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills, rather than attempting mechanical coverage of overloaded curricula. Based on international evidence from Guyana, Rwanda, and India, practical recommendations are offered for differentiated curricular approaches tailored to distinct categories of war-affected learners in Ukraine.