Ukrainian schools in Poland or orphans of education. Ministries in Poland and Ukraine are washing their hands
Starting in March 2022, the «First Ukrainian School in Poland», managed by the «Unbreakable Ukraine» foundation, has been operating in three Polish cities — Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw.
«After the start of the war, we realized that collecting money for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is not enough. We decided to do something for those who need it the most. Since Poland received the largest number of refugees, we came here at the beginning of March to create Ukrainian schools for Ukrainian children,» Victoria Gnap, the founder of the Unbreakable Ukraine Foundation, told the Polish publication OKO.press. She lived with her husband in Lisbon until February 24, 2022, now she has moved to Warsaw.
760 children completed the 2021/2022 academic year at the «First Ukrainian School in Poland». The foundation’s schools are free and operate according to the Ukrainian program. In addition, Polish language lessons are held. Psychological assistance is also provided to children.
The school cooperates with UNICEF, which supports it financially.
«We have started accepting applications for 2022/2023, there are already almost 6,000 of them. There are 65 teachers working at the school, but almost a thousand Ukrainian teachers who are looking for a job in Poland have applied».
School premises are for rent. For example, in Kraków, the «First Ukrainian School in Poland» is located on the street St. Philip, 25. The cost of rent is huge — 10,000 euros per month. The initiators applied for financial support to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, but to no avail.
«We hear stories from Mariupol, Kherson or Kharkiv, where there are no schools anymore, there is no possibility of online education. In many places the situation is critical. Our parents tell us that we are the last hope. And it’s hard to say “no”. Because of the pandemic, and now also the war, Ukrainian children studied online for two years. It is obvious that they need to go to a permanent school all the more. Ukrainian would allow these children after difficult times to avoid the additional stress of adaptation, stay with their compatriots, make friends and socialize more easily. They also did not lose their Ukrainian identity and were raised patriotically».
A Ukrainian school in Poland is the best option for parents who plan to return home after the end of the war.
The founders of the school are looking for funds, they would like to admit at least 3 thousand students. On August 25, Victoria Gnap said that they will be able to accept 2,000 children in their schools. We will issue a Ukrainian school leaving certificate. This is very important for students in grades 9-11.
What is the relationship with the Polish Ministry of Education? They don’t get in the way, but they don’t help either.
«The Minister of Education said that there can be no other education system in Poland than the Polish one, and all children under the age of 18 are subject to compulsory education. So we don’t really have to function. But there are not enough places in Polish schools, and we are filling this gap, so the ministry closes its eyes and everyone pretends that there is no problem. Ukrainian and Polish ministries ignore each other. Maybe I’m wrong, but it seems to me that it is necessary to develop general rules for the creation of integration classes, just like Ukrainian schools. At the moment, everything looks as if a group of children fell from the sky, and Poland seems to want to help, but cannot», says Victoria Gnap.
And then: «In the spring, many Ukrainian children simply did not study anywhere. They say they were enrolled in their native Ukrainian online school, but if the teacher is teaching from a bomb shelter, what are the lessons? How long can this last? From the new school year, we have to look for another option. That’s why politicians need to recognize that initiatives like ours exist».
There are other Ukrainian schools in Poland
Ukrainian schools in Poland have existed for a long time, even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
«Materynka». Since 2019, there has been a Ukrainian school «Materynka» in Warsaw, which teaches according to the Ukrainian curriculum, adding Polish language courses. She is organized foundation «Ukrainian Education Center», which was formed back in 2016. «Materynka» functions as a branch of the Kyiv school. «Materynka» started the 2022/2023 school year for thousands of students. About 60 teachers work here. Studying in it is paid.
SzkoUA or Warsaw Ukrainian School was established in April 2022. Approximately 200 students completed the spring semester there. This is an initiative of the Club of Catholic Intelligentsia in Warsaw and the «Our Choice / Ukrainian House» foundation. From September, SzkoUA students will be formally enrolled in the International Ukrainian School. The school is free thanks to the support of Polish and foreign public organizations. First of all, children are accepted who cannot study remotely in their Ukrainian schools, as well as those who cannot be enrolled in Polish schools.
Ukrainian schools from the Ukrainian minority in Poland. Before the war, there were 5 such schools in Poland: in Przemyśl, Biły Bor, Legnica, Bartośice, and Horów Ilawiecki. They have the Polish education system, but there are additional lessons in Ukrainian, literature, history and Ukrainian geography. To be included in the minority, one must have Polish citizenship.
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