ByadminUkrainian children must attend the state schools of the refugee countries in the EU
The end of the summer used to be the passage from the long summer holiday to the beginning of autumn and new study year for all children going to school, making the refugee Ukrainian mothers in the EU biased towards it.
The reason is an obligatory education of all Ukrainian refugee children in the EU at a state school at a country of residence for every member country. According to the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Ylva Johansson, this measure is vital for the communication of children and their social integration. “Children must attend school. This is very important. Our mission is to make their life as settled as possible and schooling is what it takes. There, kids would meet their peers to play and to collaborate with. In addition, they must gain knowledge. This is an investment in their future, so those Ukrainians staying in the EU must attend a state school in the country of residence. Leaving back home for Ukrainian education is optional”, Johansson clarified. She noted that despite the pressure for many countries, they have tackled it to provide schooling for Ukrainian children starting from the end of the previous school year.
Many parents have decided to continue back home in Ukrainian schools. Yet about 3.5 million Ukrainian refugees, mostly of younger age, stay in the EU. For example, 200,000 Ukrainian children went to local schools and kindergartens in the spring (160,000 attending schools, and 40,000 – kindergartens) in Poland, while the Minister of Education of the Republic of Poland Przemysław Czarnek announced the same amount expected in September. He claims that everything is ready: “The education system is flexible, approved by the government bodies, local authorities, education departments, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and administrations. We are ready to accept Ukrainian children”. Moreover, Polish teachers expect a significant salary increase by 20% from 18.4 to 21.4 thousand zlotys per month.
The Ministry of Education of Ukraine adapted the procedure allowing children attending a school in the EU to receive their Ukrainian education remotely certified with a Certificate of a Secondary Education.
Another challenging chapter takes off for Ukrainian children in a foreign school, facing a language barrier and squeezing in the second school in the schedule… However, this chapter might become opportunistic for those smart, gifted, diligent Ukrainian children growing up their skills to the higher levels.
