Educational Challenges for Ukrainian Kids in Europe: A Struggle Between Inadequate Policies and Lack of Integration

Introduction 

Three years into the conflict in Ukraine also marks the third consecutive year of disrupted education for Ukrainian children aged five to eighteen. Starting from February 2022, around 5.9 million Ukrainian refugees have crossed into neighbouring countries i, with children amounting to 1.4 million of the total number. The welcoming of refugees in Europe, however, has presented an unprecedented shock in terms of young refugee protection, with most European schools unprepared to welcome Ukrainian pupils. 

Critical challenges (with varying degrees) are still present across all 23 EU Member States despite the war ongoing for more than 2 years. Currently, the biggest challenge is the language barrier in schools when communicating with the children and, more alarmingly, their parents. Secondly, the lack of capacity of schools, particularly with teacher shortages, is also influencing the lack of educational inclusion of Ukrainian children. ii 

This article examines these two factors, looking at the EU’s position and particularly the reality in Poland and Italy. These two countries are relevant as they are the highest percentage welcomers of Ukrainian children and present concerning data on their inclusion and quality of education. 

 

Methodology  

This article will primarily use secondary sources from various organizations working in the field of education. The data collected will be quantitative and qualitative, thanks to the reports of various authoritative agencies like UNHCR, UNESCO, and OECD and reports produced by the European Commission and Eurofund. 

In the case studies for Poland, authoritative secondary sources, such as reports and websites from CARE International UNESCO and the Norwegian Refugee Council, have been cited. The information from the case study of Italy instead was collected through an interview (primary source) with the participation of a human rights expert who is experienced in the field of education and familiar with the situation of Ukrainian refugee kids in Italy. 

 

Challenges 

  1. Language Barrier 

In June 2024, with the partnership of other valuable stakeholders, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHRC) published a report analysing the main trends and challenges in accessing education for Ukrainian refugee children and youths in Europe. This report includes data from the countries hosting the most significant number of refugee youth from Ukraine, evincing that there is a considerable problem connected to the language barrier. Also, in a recent OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) survey, 63% of participating countries declared that language is a significant barrier to the education of Ukrainian kids.iii 

Looking at the data from various reports, the issue is twofold: On the one hand, the language barrier between national governments and the children’s parents makes them sceptical about enrolling their children at school. On the other hand, the quality of education for Ukrainian refugee children is not satisfactory due to lack of translators or programs preparing teachers for non-native students; making, communication between them and the teachers a major issue impairing their rights to education and overall well-being.  

Notably, across Europe, around 14% of refugee households declared that they did not enrol their children due to language barriers.iv Many Ukrainian families have reported that not speaking the language of their host country made it difficult to understand the enrolment process and requirements.v 

Currently, the UNHRC report informs that many European states are facing issues with promoting language support programmes that can include refugee students in the national systems. Various states are proposing ‘preparatory years or ‘welcome classes’ to grant additional language support to Ukrainian kids. However, the efficiency of such programmes is missing as authorities struggle to find specialised teachers to teach in such classes. vi 

2. Lack of School Capacity 

The other factor impairing a successful learning experience for Ukrainian children has often been the schools’ lack of satisfactory capacity. This entails the lack of space and material resources inside the schools and the shortage of teachers. According to the 2023 OECD survey, several European countries face teacher shortages, eventually impairing their ability to accommodate new students or create new classes.vii  In many cities and regions, schools had to introduce waiting lists for parents wanting to enrol their children, and in the worst cases, they were offered the option of home-schooling when they could not find a school for their children.viii Currently, in Europe, around 8% of the total amount of Ukrainian kids’ refugees are out of school due to capacity problems of schools. This list also includes kids who are not on waiting lists and have simply been denied access to a school because of no space.ix  

The European Commission affirms that 15 European countries (63%) have reported the availability of teaching staff as a serious challenge.x While the absence of teachers speaking a secondary language might indicate the unpreparedness of the migration of Ukrainian kids, another problem appears more concerning: the lack of staff at the European level is a structural problem independent from the presence of refugees.xi  

Case Studies

1. Poland 

Poland, along with Germany and the Czech Republic, is the country that is hosting the largest number of refugee children and youth from Ukraine. xii As of October 2023, out of the total number of Ukrainian kids (440.000), 179.677 were enrolled in the Polish national education system, with a total percentage of 46% of refugee children enrolled.xiii UNESCO has highlighted concerning data about the education of Ukrainian children in Poland.  

Firstly, there is no available data over the minimum standard capacity of the classes (meaning that there is a possible overcrowding). In addition, the highlighted barriers to enrolment in Poland are language barriers, school physical capacity, and teacher shortages.  

The main key points from the UNESCO research show that as of 2023, there is a shortage of at least 20.000 teachers, and urgent support is required for school supplies and equipment of laptops and tablets. xiv 

UNHCHR also provides alarming data about the pressure on the education system in Poland. In 2023, due to the shortage of Polish teachers speaking a second language, only 11% of enrolled Ukrainian kids can attend preparatory classes. xv  

In 2021/2022 more Ukrainian kids were able to attend preparatory classes reaching almost 27%. This means that Polish schools are currently suffering from a capacity-problem. The issue varies across the nation, with rural areas being the most affected by these shortages. xvi 

  

Moving again to the topic of the language barrier, joint research conducted by CARE International Poland, the International Rescue Committee, and Save the Children shed light on the issue. According to their study, 72% of Ukrainian adolescents have declared that they face language difficulties inside the school environment. xvii Delving more into these numbers, the study affirms that the Polish education system does not incentivise learning the Polish language. Insufficient resources are present for Ukrainian kids’ refugees to learn Polish in the school curriculum, forcing them to seek language support outside the public-school preparatory system. xviii According to government data, only 37.2% of Polish education students receive free Polish language courses. This means that refugees (at their expense) should attend Polish courses for 1-2 years before entering the public school system. xix Such decisions further disrupt the right to education of refugees, impacting an already troubled economic and socioemotional status. 

Poland has tried to respond to this educational crisis by making education for refugees not compulsory under the parents’ approval, or lifted the individual class limits, maintaining the same number of teachers recruited with larger classes, impacting the overall quality of education. xx 

This strategy contravenes the EU’s goal of granting a high-level education to public school students from different backgrounds. It also confirms the idea that European schools are burdened by a pre-existing shortage of teachers and physical capacity and are forced to cut classes or overcrowd them, hampering the right to education of Ukrainian refugees.  

2. Italy 

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Italy has become one of the main destination countries for refugees coming from Ukraine. The Italian Ministry of Interiors has recorded 173.589 Ukrainian refugees, of which around 28% are children. xxi 

To partially examine Italy’s attitude toward integrating Ukrainian children’s refugees, we interviewed an Italian expert in human rights who offered valuable firsthand insight since one of her relatives is a teacher. 

Our interviewee immediately points out that language is the most significant barrier for Ukrainian children in Italy. According to her, Italy is typically a country that finds difficulties in using other languages consequently forcing Ukrainian children to be placed in Italian classes without sufficient preparation. Following up on this topic, our interviewee affirms that even if education is mandatory for refugees, the process in Italy lacks a clear framework amplifying a general sense of discouragement these kids already face. 

Another example from our interviewee’s Italian experience is the educational strategy enacted by some schools. To align the educational goals of Ukrainian kids, sometimes Italian schools decide to put Ukrainian kids in lower-grade classes. However, this strategy fails to conform to the principle of the EU that every national and refugee should be treated in the same way, lacking a satisfactory right to education. 

Our interviewee, at the same time, affirms that creating only Italian classes is, per se, not negative unless it exists an external familiar figure, like a Ukrainian translator. However, in some instances in Italy, there is an approach to integration that primarily depends on the responsibility of foreign groups. This means that integrating would entail following private Italian classes to align the kids with the standards of the classes.  

Our interviewee concluded her contribution by pointing out that education needs more precise frameworks and capacity-building considering different economic and political situations across Europe.xxii 

Findings 

The data provided by various organisations regarding the main two challenges, language barrier and capacity building, suggests that education is highly multifaceted and requires substantive strategies. Indeed, the response to the movement of Ukrainian refugees varies across Europe, with data different from those in Poland and Italy. However, these two countries are relevant since they host the most refugees and are evident educational challenges. From the findings of these studies, it appears that education challenges are both central (at the EU level) and peripherical (at the state level). 

At the European level, resolutions are published over the crisis of Ukrainian kids in Europe. However, the implementation of this resolution is too horizontal, not considering the existing educational country-level crisis. This applies both to the language barrier and building capacities where is demonstrated that some European countries seriously lack second-language teachers and capacity inside the schools. 

Meanwhile, at the state level, the resolutions taken at the European level are poorly implemented, with countries allocating insufficient funds for education, perpetuating a capacity-building crisis present before the Ukraine crisis. 

 

Conclusion and Recommendations 

This article examined some of the issues connected with welcoming Ukrainian children’s refugees into the European educational system. Looking at the data, the main concerns remain the language barrier and school capacity. While the number varies across EU states, Poland and Italy offer a worrisome image of structural barriers to education. 

To answer the issues, the European Parliament’s stance is straightforward: create a common policy framework to develop efficient integration for migrants and refugees in Europe as part of the 2021-2027 EU Action Plan on integration. This plan was also exemplified by Resolution 2022/2618 of the European Parliament, which urged member states to take measures swiftly to solve the education challenges.  

However, while the EU has shared competence on migration and integration, it is the responsibility of the member states to adopt national policies conforming to the expected standards. Consequently, the inadequacy of the EU side policies derives from a horizontal request for collaboration between the EU member countries, not creating special packages or requests for countries with historical educational crises. By having stricter requests and packages for states, the EU could have ensured equal treatment of Ukrainian refugee kids among the member countries. However, now, the plans lack a precise framework, with some EU countries having compulsory education for Ukrainian kids and others exempting them from schools. 

On the other hand, member states’ attitudes towards integration (and education) suffer from a lack of funds and interest in investing in education and welcoming refugees, which resulted from the rise of populism. 

From this analysis, some recommendations may follow: 

  • Jointly contribute to the capacity-building of schools by allocating funds from the EU to member states and expecting them to share their best practices and overview of projects and expenses. 
  • Create tailored plans for member states with educational and integration crises to align them with EU standards. 
  • Create a joint refugee plan by hiring additional trained and qualified teachers from countries with many incoming refugees. 
  • Improve resource management by investing money on NGO, creating a network able to cope with the lack of capacity present in education. 
  • Ensure that the education standards are similar across different member states, meaning that parents receive clear information and kids are in an inclusive environment that respects their educational level. 
  • Authorities from Ukraine should coordinate with the European host states to recognize diplomas obtained in their territory. 

 

 

@Panashe Marie Louise Mlambo  

The war in Ukraine and its impact on education

Commencing on the 24th of February 2022, the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to unfathomably disastrous outcomes, both internationally and within both countries. Of course, the scale of destruction had mapped onto virtually every aspect of the political, economic, and socio-cultural functioning of Ukraine’s society. Leaving no one unaffected by its persistent brutality, Russia’s military adventurism has highlighted the particularly pertinent problems surrounding the daily struggles of educational institutions, their children and their staff in producing a safe and stable environment that is conducive to the educational needs of the youth.

This article breaks down the Ukrainian educational struggles in the context of the waging of a genocidal war by its belligerent neighbour. Furthermore, contemporary innovative solutions to some of these educational issues will be outlined – as well as an assessment of their utility. Lastly, it is of essence to avoid perceiving these educational struggles as isolated cases specific to the Russo-Ukrainian War. On the contrary, these struggles must necessarily be understood in connection with other parts of the world which are consumed by the devastating impacts of chauvinism and warfare. Only from this comparative understanding can one begin to construct a fruitful perspective that is solutions-based, as opposed to the simple dissemination of platitudes devoid of meaning.  

Background Information 

The onset of the war has caused widespread devastation, particularly in the five oblasts (regions) affected the most being Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, Kherson and Kharkiv. As of the 9th of November 2023, over 3,790 educational facilities have been either damaged or totally destroyed. These are often the result of “aerial attacks, artillery shelling, rocket strikes”, and in certain cases even cluster munitions (Human Rights Watch, 2023). It is the imprecise nature of Russian weaponry that particularly causes them to indiscriminately shell and strike civilian infrastructure, if not also the vile disregard for the laws of war on the part of the invading army. As such, it is not uncommon for pupils’ school days to be interrupted by siren alerts forcing them to flee into a bomb shelter. There has even been evidence of deliberate striking of schools, with the shelling of one such building with the word “children” written in large as a message in front of it (CNN, 2022). 

In addition to this, there has been extensive occupation of schools by Russian troops, who utilize the space to store munitions, weaponry, vehicles, tanks, amongst other military equipment. The military-use of schools strictly breaches the laws of war. Launching attacks from such locations causes a reciprocation from the Ukrainian counter-battery fire, thus leading to even further destruction of schools. Beyond the exploitation of educational facilities for military purposes, there has been comprehensive evidence of the Russian army engaging in not uncommon looting and pillaging. The stolen equipment includes, but is not limited to, desktops and laptops, televisions, interactive whiteboards, and heating systems. The Human Rights Watch has summarized this by stating “what was not stolen was often broken”. Before ultimately leaving the premises, Russian forces engage in destruction and vandalism, often denoting hateful sentiment towards Ukrainian people (Human Rights Watch, 2023).  

The question should then be posed: how are students able to continue their studies given such wholescale destruction of their schools? Students who have found themselves without feasible schooling options had to resort to continue their studies from a different school in another area. Although moving is expensive, time-consuming, and therefore is not an option for the majority of people along the front lines, if not actively assisted by the government (which is also not always possible). Students became accustomed to studying in shifts, in between sirens, as well as remotely. The last option was made redundant to a great extent, given that Russia has deliberately and over a prolonged period of time targeted civilian infrastructure such as power and electricity stations, including the hydroelectric Kakhovka Dam in the Kherson region. In the rough conditions of power outages, major floods, and routine shelling multiple times a day, it is unsurprising that these adjustments have been insufficient in the face of Russia’s brutality. Therefore, the physical devastation of educational facilities has significantly impacted Ukraine’s ability to commit to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which plainly states in Article 26 that “everyone has the right to education” (UDHR, 1948).  

These educational struggles had not commenced only in 2022. Violent ethnic conflict was raging in the Donbas since the beginning of 2014, which already produced devastating realities for students, staff, and the entirety of the educational sector. This was further exacerbated by the effects of the global pandemic, Covid-19. At just about the time that Covid-19 was starting to subside, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine was launched. As such, for the past decade, students and staff were unable to catch a break as the situation progressively went from bad to worse to inconceivable as it stands today. The laws of war simply do not exist for the invading forces who have rampaged through thousands of schools and other educational facilities, using them for the purposes named above as well as for the detainment, torture, and execution of innocent civilians.  

Solutions in the Context of War 

In order for the educational system to continue apace, some modifications were needed to be made. Ukraine began establishing shelter zones in schools (Visit Ukraine, 2023). These were visited quite frequently as a result of the daily shelling and provided the security the students needed to maintain their education. Taking exams and going to lessons in an underground bomb shelter is far from an uncommon occurrence in Ukraine. In Kharkiv, the government has resorted to building “bunker schools” in the subway for a more safe, stable, and quiet environment conducive to studying, as the explosions will not be heard (CNN, 2024).  Further adding onto the stress for students and staff are the conditions of working in irregular shifts to ensure as many students are accommodated as possible. Whereas remote learning remains interrupted by the incessant shelling of Ukraine’s power infrastructure.  

An additional class was added to the educational curricula for all students. Announced by Ukrainian Deputy Interior Minister Kateryna Pavlichenko, ‘safety classes’ were introduced in schools. These special classes were dedicated to the critical important knowledge of life safety and civil defence (Visit Ukraine, 2022). Such practical information must be imparted upon the youth in order for them to understand how to behave in numerous circumstances, as well as the necessary precautions to be taken in an active war zone.  

Concluding Remarks 

The nature of the educational struggles in light of the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have been examined, and the innovation that Ukraine has witnessed in solutions to these educational struggles have been duly noted. However, it is of essence to note that these need not be considered as solutions per se. The accommodation that Ukraine has made to the functioning of educational institutions should instead be construed as a temporary band-aid, one that harshly scratches the surface of the real problems facing many millions of children, teachers, and others included in the process. As such, our attention must shift to the source of boundless suffering – Russian imperialism.  

A long-lasting peace settlement is essential to the stability of educational institutions, and a critical necessity for the wellbeing of students all over Ukraine. However, this settlement must not be on the terms of the invader. That does not solve the problems of the educational issues students face in the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine. The peaceful settlement of the conflict will necessary be on Ukrainian terms, including the necessary persecution of war criminals responsible for the decimation of Ukrainian education. For now, Ukraine is valiantly fighting for its freedom and independence from Russian aggression. Children had nothing to do with the decision to begin the invasion, yet they are ultimately paying the highest price. The end of Russia’s war on Ukrainian children is long overdue.   

References

Ukraine: Education disruption due to war

In February 2022, Russia initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that has since disrupted the education of over 5 million children, as reported by UNICEF. Despite the current relative calm and the diversion of public attention to other conflicts, the ongoing struggle of Ukrainian children to access education remains evident. This is underscored by the declining learning patterns in the PISA 2023[i]  results.

UNICEF has been actively working to reconstruct an environment conducive to education for Ukrainian children. Thousands of schools, pre-schools, and other educational facilities have been targeted by continuous attacks, consequently, Ukrainian children struggle to gain access to education. This, coupled with parental concerns for their children’s safety, has led to reluctance to send children to school. [ii]

Education is of utmost importance during times of war for several reasons. It fosters mental health by providing a routine and a sense of normalcy and stability. Moreover, it is fundamental for the post-conflict perspective of the Ukrainian population. The longer a child is kept out of school, the less likely they are to return. Therefore, limiting time away from school is incredibly important. Education also provides the skills and qualifications needed to build lives for oneself and prosperity for one’s community[iii]. In the long term, a quality education promotes peace and post-conflict reconstruction. It helps young people develop the skills and qualifications they need to build lives for themselves and prosperity for their communities[iv]. Furthermore, education can foster resilience and unity among students, for instance, the Kyiv School of Economics has continued its educational activities and launched new projects focusing on the needs of business and society in Ukraine during war[v].

Most recently Russia attacked the capital, Kyiv, a hospital, school, kindergarten, morgue, and residential buildings were damaged in the attack, with the latest update stating that 53 people were injured. Twenty of them, including two children, were hospitalized as a result of the strikes[vi].

UNICEF has been collaborating with the Government to facilitate the return of children to education. This is achieved through various means, including in-person learning in classrooms when deemed safe, as well as online or community-based alternatives. Despite the numerous challenges, nearly two million children were able to access online learning opportunities. Additionally, 1.3 million children were enrolled in a mix of in-person and online learning. However, the attacks that primarily targeted energy sources and electricity have resulted in most failures in accessing education. This makes it impossible for children to continue their education.[vii]

In conclusion, the conflict in Ukraine has disrupted the education of millions of children, a situation that has been further complicated by the destruction of educational facilities and the diversion of public attention to other conflicts. Despite these challenges, UNICEF has been actively working to reconstruct an environment conducive to education for Ukrainian children. Considering the role of the United Nations in this situation is crucial. It is not only a matter of rebuilding schools and preschools, but also of ensuring that the Ukrainian children have access to education, regardless of their location, and provide psychological support. The United Nations, through UNICEF, has a unique opportunity to play a significant role in this situation[viii].

How war in Ukraine affects education

Written by Katerina Chalenko

On February 24, 2022, Thursday, at 3:40 am, a full-scale war broke out in Ukraine.

Undoubtedly, the hostilities in the country have a negative impact on the psychological and physical condition of the citizens, both children and adults. Entire families were forced to hide from constant shelling, leave their homes and flee to other regions or countries due the danger situation in the regions where they live.

The martial law in Ukraine has changed the lives of every citizen and affected all spheres of life.

EU projects on education and psychosocial support to children in Eastern Ukraine. Photo by EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid on Flickr.

But how did the war affect education in Ukraine?

Within weeks of the invasion, nearly 16 million Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes and seek refuge abroad and in other parts of Ukraine. Many of these were women and children, causing significant harm to Ukraine’s majority female teaching force and their students.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers around the world developed remote teaching skills. Now that the war has again divided their classrooms, Ukrainian teachers have adapted these skills to teach students across Europe and the world.

Like Ukraine itself, which has shown tremendous resistance, educators (teachers, professors, etc.) have continued their educational efforts despite enormous odds.  Since the military invasion, teachers have continued to teach their students in bomb shelters during active bombardment. Gas stations and grocery stores powered by generators are turning into centers for filming virtual lessons.

Ukraine’s response and persistent challenges to Education

Ukraine’s literacy rate is 99.8%, one of the highest in the world, and education is a source of national pride. In wartime, the Ukrainian government is working to adapt the education system to new realities.

The day after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine recommended that the educational process in educational institutions of all levels be suspended and that students be sent on a two-week vacation. During this time, part of Ukraine’s territory was temporarily occupied, and a number of cities and villages (Mariupol, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and others) became the scene of active hostilities.

On March 14, the educational process began to resume in areas where the security situation allowed it.

Children who live far from the hostilities zone and did not move to other regions of Ukraine or abroad during the war are enrolled in full-time, distance, or mixed forms of education.

However, due to prolonged air raids and power outages of several hours, the educational process in the safe areas is also interrupted. After all, when teachers and students are in a shelter during an air raid or without electricity and, accordingly, high-quality Internet, participants in the educational process cannot continue either full-time or distance learning at this time. Therefore, students spend a significant portion of their school time studying on their own. All this only exacerbates educational losses.

Students, who have been forced to change their place of residence within Ukraine, sometimes even repeatedly, experience interruptions in their education and educational losses. For internally displaced students, one of the biggest challenges is adapting to a new environment and integrating into a new educational institution and establishing communication with teachers and peers. Loss or separation from loved ones, separation from friends, change of residence, stress from the events experienced, because someone left the very “center of hell” – all this causes psychological stress for the child.

One of the most difficult is the situation with children living in the hostilities zone or on the contact line or close to the hostilities zone. There is currently no information on the number of such children who remain close to these zones.

Children in these territories are in constant danger, under fire, forced to hide in basements or other safe places as far as possible. There is often no communication, electricity, gas, water, or heat supply in these areas, some of the houses are destroyed, and children have no more or less equipped shelter or refuge. Therefore, the main thing here is to preserve the lives and health of children, and the educational process should be implemented whenever possible – and only in those forms that do not expose children to additional danger. Some children do not study at all, while others study independently where possible. Therefore, this group of children will suffer the greatest educational losses. At the same time, as we have already noted, children in difficult life circumstances also need special attention.

Each group of students has two common problems. These are educational losses, which are different for all groups of students, because it is clear that children who live far from the combat zone and have not changed their place of residence will have less educational losses than other children. Therefore, each educational institution and each community should have an individual strategy for compensating for educational losses, as well as a general state Ukrainian strategy for compensating for educational losses.

Another common problem is the need for psychological assistance to all groups of students, the level of which will also vary depending on the circumstances experienced by the child.

Fear and hope in eastern Ukraine: education in the shadow of conflict. Photo by EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid on Flickr.

Access to education requires

First, education in times of war is an important topic that requires cooperation between government agencies, aid organizations, and the international community to maximize educational opportunities and protect children in such difficult circumstances. Cooperation with local organizations, social workers, and independent experts is needed to ensure that educational opportunities for children are adapted and accessible.

Secondly, to ensure access to education during war, it is necessary to provide sufficient financial resources, appropriate infrastructure and equipment.

Thirdly, it is important to remember that education in time of war is not limited to learning with books. Children need a variety of educational opportunities, including social and emotional support, cultural activities, and access to media and technology.

Fourth, education should be adapted to the situation of war and meet the needs of children to help them adapt to life in difficult circumstances in the future.

And most importantly, one of the key aspects of education in times of war is ensuring the safety of children and teachers. During war, schools are often targeted, resulting in loss of life and destruction of equipment. Schools need to be secured to protect the lives of children and teachers and ensure the continuity of the educational process.                                              

In addition, education in time of war should be accessible to all children, regardless of their social status or religious affiliation. War-related migration and unequal access to education can lead to discrimination and exclusion of some children. It is necessary to ensure accessible and equal educational opportunities for all children to prevent discrimination and ensure equal chances for all children in the future. This requires cooperation with local organizations, social workers, and independent experts to develop and implement strategies to ensure that education is accessible to all children during war.

Students in Ukraine engage in leisure activities. Photo by UNICEF Ukraine.

Conclusions

For sure, war has a significant negative impact on education, but with the right efforts and support, it is possible to mitigate these effects and help children in the future. Of course, many students do not have access to educational programs or the opportunity to join online learning. Those students who have traveled abroad face language problems and struggle to adapt to a different learning system.

Despite the fact that every student was in a terrible and difficult situation, the educational process resumed in spite of everything.

References
https://texty.org.ua/fragments/108683/yak-vijna-vplyvaye-na-ukrayinskyh-shkolyariv-doslidzhennya/

https://eo.gov.ua/de-i-iak-navchaiutsia-ukrainski-dity-v-chasy-viyny-problemy-propozytsii-rekomendatsii/2022/11/16/

https://lb.ua/blog/olena_vyshniakova/543064_osvita_pid_chas_viyni_shcho_zminilosya_i_yak.html