How the Ukraine War Is Affecting Children's Education
2023-06-21
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1Russian forces have destroyed or damaged thousands of schools since invading Ukraine.
2But the harms to the country's education system go far beyond damaged buildings.
3Experts say schooling is suffering in extreme ways, even for those who fled the country.
4One example is nine-year-old Milana Minenko.
5She now lives in Poland after fleeing the war in Ukraine with her mother in March 2022.
6A Russian missile struck the family home on the second day of the war.
7Milana's school was also destroyed.
8Now Milana attends a public school in Poland. Her mother helps her follow lessons in the evening to keep up with schooling back home.
9There is no time - and no money - for anything else.
10Government officials say Russian forces have destroyed 262 educational buildings and damaged another 3,019.
11But even for those who have fled to other countries, schooling is suffering in unprecedented ways.
12Families, educators and experts say that for refugees, the effects of war and moving to a new place make studying in a new country even harder.
13Officials in Ukraine have said they have attempted to keep education a priority in the country.
14They say the young generation of Ukrainians will need to be well educated to help rebuild the country after the war.
15Ukraine's government says at least 500 children have been killed in the war.
16Thousands more have been sent to Russia without permission.
17About 1.5 million refugees live in Poland, the most of any country.
18Many chose it because it is close to Ukraine and they plan to go back home someday.
19In Poland, children are not required to attend local schools.
20But school is required in Germany and some other countries.
21The United Nations children's organization UNICEF estimates fewer than half of child refugees in Poland attend schools.
22That is about 180,000 students.
23Many do not speak Polish.
24About 30 percent of children from Ukraine studying in Polish school systems are also studying Ukrainian lessons online, UNICEF says.
25The numbers drop with older students, with just 22 percent of Ukrainian teens in Poland attending the country's schools.
26Students following lessons in two languages have more difficulties in school.
27This is in addition to problems students have dealing with the move to another country and the trauma of war.
28Many refugee families have moved several times within Poland.
29Students trying to keep up with Ukrainian schoolwork abroad can still experience the effects of war at home.
30Polina Plokhenko is a 16-year-old who left her Polish high school to work on online lessons with her Ukrainian school on the frontline in Kherson.
31Bombs often send her teachers fleeing into shelters.
32"It is hard because it is my last year of school, and I needed to learn a lot of information by myself," Polina said.
33Since age 11 she has wanted to study acting at a Kyiv university.
34This month, Polina is taking Ukraine's final state examination, which students must pass to enter universities.
35It is being given in 47 cities in 30 countries, said Maryna Demyanchuk.
36She is a professor who helped organize the exam at a center in Warsaw.
37To prepare, Polina attends Saturday classes at one of three Ukrainian schools set up in Poland by the group Unbreakable Ukraine.
38Viktoriia Gnap is the group's founder.
39She said the schools' teachers, who are also refugees, think the overall level of student knowledge is quite low.
40But the group's goal is to provide a high-quality education, even with a very limited budget.
41Some Ukrainian students are becoming better at speaking Polish, and plan to attend universities there.
42Others still feel disconnected from Poland.
43Some refugees have been bullied.
44Milana's mother, Oksana, said she looks forward to the day when her family can return home, "so that my child can go to her teacher and hug her." She added, "That's what she dreams of."
45I'm Dan Novak.
1Russian forces have destroyed or damaged thousands of schools since invading Ukraine. But the harms to the country's education system go far beyond damaged buildings. Experts say schooling is suffering in extreme ways, even for those who fled the country. 2One example is nine-year-old Milana Minenko. She now lives in Poland after fleeing the war in Ukraine with her mother in March 2022. A Russian missile struck the family home on the second day of the war. Milana's school was also destroyed. 3Now Milana attends a public school in Poland. Her mother helps her follow lessons in the evening to keep up with schooling back home. There is no time - and no money - for anything else. 4Government officials say Russian forces have destroyed 262 educational buildings and damaged another 3,019. But even for those who have fled to other countries, schooling is suffering in unprecedented ways. Families, educators and experts say that for refugees, the effects of war and moving to a new place make studying in a new country even harder. 5Officials in Ukraine have said they have attempted to keep education a priority in the country. They say the young generation of Ukrainians will need to be well educated to help rebuild the country after the war. 6Ukraine's government says at least 500 children have been killed in the war. Thousands more have been sent to Russia without permission. 7About 1.5 million refugees live in Poland, the most of any country. Many chose it because it is close to Ukraine and they plan to go back home someday. In Poland, children are not required to attend local schools. But school is required in Germany and some other countries. 8The United Nations children's organization UNICEF estimates fewer than half of child refugees in Poland attend schools. That is about 180,000 students. Many do not speak Polish. About 30 percent of children from Ukraine studying in Polish school systems are also studying Ukrainian lessons online, UNICEF says. 9The numbers drop with older students, with just 22 percent of Ukrainian teens in Poland attending the country's schools. 10Students following lessons in two languages have more difficulties in school. This is in addition to problems students have dealing with the move to another country and the trauma of war. Many refugee families have moved several times within Poland. 11Students trying to keep up with Ukrainian schoolwork abroad can still experience the effects of war at home. Polina Plokhenko is a 16-year-old who left her Polish high school to work on online lessons with her Ukrainian school on the frontline in Kherson. Bombs often send her teachers fleeing into shelters. 12"It is hard because it is my last year of school, and I needed to learn a lot of information by myself," Polina said. Since age 11 she has wanted to study acting at a Kyiv university. 13This month, Polina is taking Ukraine's final state examination, which students must pass to enter universities. It is being given in 47 cities in 30 countries, said Maryna Demyanchuk. She is a professor who helped organize the exam at a center in Warsaw. 14To prepare, Polina attends Saturday classes at one of three Ukrainian schools set up in Poland by the group Unbreakable Ukraine. Viktoriia Gnap is the group's founder. She said the schools' teachers, who are also refugees, think the overall level of student knowledge is quite low. But the group's goal is to provide a high-quality education, even with a very limited budget. 15Some Ukrainian students are becoming better at speaking Polish, and plan to attend universities there. Others still feel disconnected from Poland. Some refugees have been bullied. 16Milana's mother, Oksana, said she looks forward to the day when her family can return home, "so that my child can go to her teacher and hug her." She added, "That's what she dreams of." 17I'm Dan Novak. 18Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press. 19_______________________________________________________________________ 20Words in This Story 21unprecedented - adj. never having happened before 22priority - n. something that is very important and that must be dealt with before other things 23trauma - n. severe shock caused by an bad experience 24bully - v. to intentionally frighten someone who is smaller or weaker than you