Education for war children

Two out of three children have no opportunity to go to school regularly. Ukrainian teachers report that pupils' knowledge of Ukrainian and mathematics has deteriorated massively.

Our colleague Serhii Lukashov, Head of SOS Children's Villages Ukraine, explains: "Day after day, the war dictates the children's educational situation in the most brutal way: Air raids, attacks and power cuts are part of everyday life. They lead to forced interruptions to lessons, falling educational standards and exacerbate inequality. Especially in the frontline areas, many schoolchildren have no chance of attending classes. Many drop out of school altogether".

Thanks to the experience gained during the corona period, it was possible to switch to online teaching relatively quickly, but this is a major challenge given the many power outages. In addition, this cannot replace regular lessons, not only does the quality suffer, but there is also a lack of social contact.

"Particularly in these difficult times, it is important for children to meet friends, exchange ideas and have a healthy daily routine. Schools play an important role in children's mental health," says Lukashov.

To ensure that the children can learn in safety, SOS Children's Villages has set up a school in the basement of the town of Izium.