After a month of war, local authorities reported that more than 733 educational institutions were damaged or destroyed.
In addition to learning, education that provides a protective environment more relevant to crisis-affected populations, especially childrenEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization of the United Nations (UNESCO) say in a Press Release.
UNESCO also announced that it is mobilizing support for continuous learning. Through it Global Education Alliance. Created in 2020 to facilitate distance learning solutions in COVID-19 pandemicThe organization will provide computer hardware and digital learning tools to young refugees.
Temporary protection
Every humanitarian crisis is also an educational crisisBut an unprecedented element of the war in Ukraine is that the European Union (EU) soon decided to activate a temporary protection plan, allowing millions of people fleeing the country with disabilities, to be protected. enjoy equal rights.
The EU directive grants access “to persons under the age of 18 who enjoy temporary protection on the same conditions as their nationals and EU nationals”, UNESCO notes.
Passed on March 4, less than two weeks after the invasion of Russia began, the directive had an immediate impact and spurred a dynamic refugee influx, with Ukrainian citizens can move freely into EU countries.
The move, according to the UN agency, “calls for enhanced coordination by host countries, both within and outside the EU, to support and integrate Ukrainian learners, teachers and educational staff within the system. national education system”.
Response Mapping
UNESCO’s response includes Mapping how host countries support the educational needs of Ukrainian refugees.
This includes transitional measures to integrate learners into mainstream education; language and curriculum considerations; psychosocial support, training and accreditation of teachers, among other practical steps related to administration, registration, certification and financial assistance.
In its first assessment, UNESCO analyzed the provisions of 29 countries and divided the findings into the following categories: transitional versus direct integration, teaching and teacher, credits and exams, and financial resources.
© UNICEF / Joe English
On March 9, 2022 in Medyka, southeastern Poland, children play in the corner of a school gymnasium set up to host refugee families who have fled the war in Ukraine.
Student integration
Many countries have mentioned existing programs and processes to include foreigners in their national education systems. In Portugal, for example, international students can enroll directly in pre-K (kindergarten) classes, while older students are assessed or go through a transition. The aim is for Ukrainian students to integrate as soon as possible.
As a result, Portugal has introduced special measures for rapid integration, including simplified procedures for granting equivalent foreign qualifications. Similar, Belgium, Denmark, France, Lithuania, Slovakia and Spainmentioned ‘bridging’, ‘receiving’ or ‘adapting’ classes.
These transition classes provide language classes, familiarize students with the local education system, provide counseling, psychological support, and assessment. As students strengthen their language skills and are assessed, they can then be integrated into regular classrooms.
Some countries offer public education with instruction in minority languages. In Romaniafor example, there are 45 schools and ten upper secondary schools that offer instruction in Ukrainian.
Some initiatives also include connecting Ukrainian refugee students with distance learning options in the Ukrainian language.
© UNICEF / Adrian Holerga
A nine-year-old Ukrainian girl holds a drawing of her family while sitting in a learning center with her mother and cat (in a blue basket) in Romania.
Many countries have also announced that they will allow Ukrainian students to access their higher education institutions, such as Austria, France, Hungary, Poland, Romaniaas well as offer to waive tuition fees or provide additional financial aid.
The UK such as launching the Home for Ukraine Scheme for visa applications from Ukrainians whose people are willing to sponsor them.
Those coming under this scheme will be able to live and work in the UK for up to three years, get healthcare, benefits, job support and their children will be able to attend schools. learn local and learn English.
Language barriers
According to UNESCO, a large number of Ukrainian refugee students will pose specific challenges, such as an obvious language barrier. Teachers will need support to deal with that, as well as how to gradually introduce students into a welcoming classroom; how to discuss the Russian invasion and the state of war in their homeland; and how to provide them with cultural and psychological support.
In addition to language barrier training and documentation provided in some cases by the education ministries of some countries – other options include testing bilingual materials, learning English, etc. Basic Ukrainian, use a translator app and use an interpreter service for more complex communication struggles.
© UNICEF / Agnieszka Sochon
UNICEF has provided early childhood education kits (ECDs) to Ukrainian refugee children in Poland.
In addition to language assistance, one measure often mentioned on Department of Education websites is to provide materials and guidance for teachers on how to discuss the war with students, including webinars and podcasts.
For example, Croatia, Czechia (Czech Republic) and Slovakia has a handbook on how to protect students’ mental health, prevent classroom conflict, and talk about sensitive topics.
In Parisa Ukrainian ‘crisis unit’ has been established and one of its services is to provide teachers with an online brochure outlining how to greet traumatized students.
Policy gaps and available resources
In the important policy area of how In the host countries dealing with end-of-term exams, credit transfer in higher education and accrediting teaching, UNESCO found it understandable that, to date, little has been prepared to help. Ukrainian students.
Furthermore, in the resource sector, some governments have developed financial measures to support the education response, such as off-budget allocations.
That is the case of France, Italy, Poland and Romania. In Italy, for example, 1 million euros will be used specifically to get Ukrainian students into the national education systems.
In terms of direct financial aid, most measures focus on college students. T-shirt for example has waived tuition fees for Ukrainian university students currently enrolled in its higher education institutions. In Lithuania, depending on the capacity of the institution, studies for Ukrainian citizens will be funded by the State.
Some countries are also providing early stage support, such as Romaniawhere Ukrainian students can stay in boarding schools for free, and will be subsidized for school supplies and beds, for example.
Increase distance learning
According to data from the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, Ukraine’s total school-age population is over 6.84 million studentsfrom preschool to university level.
© UNICEF / Pavel Zmey
Two girls stand in the schoolyard in Sloviansk, Ukraine. (file)
To meet practical needs, UNESCO speak it is in regular contact with local authorities, and all relevant partners, to protect and restore education in the country, with a focus on distance learning.
“In line with UNESCO recommendations, Ukraine already has an effective system in place to deal with school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, through the All Ukraine Schools platform”, said UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini, the UN agency is working with the Government to adapt it to current needs.
Mapping method
In a dynamic that can rapidly develop as war continues, and human flows increase and spread, UNESCO is adopting a Incremental approach for its data project.
Data and analysis will happen in waves with an increasing number of countries, increasingly detailed content, and ever-evolving ways of filtering and visualizing information.
The first wave of mapping of 29 countries, based on a review of information on the website of the Ministry of Education of the host country.
© UNICEF / Tom Remp
Refugees from Ukraine wait for a bus to continue their journey after crossing the Polish border to Medyka.
Next step
The map will also show whether any non-EU countries rely on existing laws for access to education or are also issuing special directives for the Ukraine crisis.
In doing so, it will also allow host countries to understand the concrete steps to be taken for integration and supporting Ukrainian learners and teachers fleeing the warincluding international students enrolled in Ukrainian higher education institutions.
