Ukraine war: The students learning underground - What in the World podcast, BBC World Service

Key Concepts

• Underground Schools: Educational facilities built in underground shelters to protect students from shelling and air raids.
• Re-education in Occupied Territories: Russia's alleged systematic rewriting of the curriculum and imposition of Russian language and history in occupied Ukrainian regions.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A common psychological condition among Ukrainian children and young people due to the constant stress and trauma of war.
• Conscription: Mandatory military service for Ukrainian men within specific age ranges.
• Educational Infrastructure Damage: The extensive destruction and damage to schools and nurseries in Ukraine caused by Russian attacks.

Impact of War on Education in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has profoundly disrupted the education system, forcing significant adaptations and creating immense challenges for students and educators. The conflict, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, has led to widespread destruction of educational infrastructure and a constant threat to the safety of students and teachers.

Underground Schools: A New Reality

In response to the ongoing threat of shelling and air raids, Ukraine has begun constructing schools in underground shelters. These facilities are designed to provide a safe environment for children to continue their studies.

• Location and Facilities: A visit to an underground school in Zaporizhzhia, a city close to the front lines, revealed a regular school environment operating beneath a football pitch. These schools are equipped with "amazing studying" facilities and are designed to provide "high quality education."
• Safety Measures: The underground schools are equipped to sustain students for "a couple of days" with food and water and are reportedly capable of withstanding a nuclear blast, a concern given Zaporizhzhia's proximity to a Russian-occupied nuclear power plant.
• Ambitious Construction Goals: The Ukrainian government has an ambitious goal to build 180 underground schools by the end of 2025, though it remains unclear whether this involves new construction or repurposing existing underground facilities.

Devastation of Educational Infrastructure

The scale of destruction to educational institutions is significant:

• Destroyed Facilities: According to Ukrainian government statistics, approximately 400 educational facilities have been completely destroyed by Russian bombs and drones, with most of these being schools and nurseries.
• Damaged Institutions: Over 3,500 educational institutions have been severely damaged.

Student Experiences and Challenges

Students face immense psychological and logistical hurdles in their pursuit of education.

• Constant Threat and Stress: Air raids can occur multiple times a day, forcing teachers and children to evacuate to underground facilities with "less than ten seconds" to do so, leading to extreme stress and uncertainty.
• Shift to Online Learning: Initially, many children were forced to study online due to safety concerns. However, students in Zaporizhzhia expressed happiness at being able to return to in-person learning in the underground schools.
• Disrupted University Life: A university student named Karina described how the war "completely destroyed" her years of study. The first two years were spent studying remotely, and the subsequent two years involved in-person learning "under shelling, under constant attacks, under constant power outages."
• Daily Realities: Students face waking up unsure if they can attend university due to transport disruptions caused by energy sector issues. The immediate threat of shelling can overshadow academic concerns, as Karina noted, "you no longer worry about exams."
• Coping Mechanisms: Many young people have developed coping mechanisms of "not to process" the trauma, focusing on immediate survival and carrying on with their daily tasks, even when faced with news of casualties. This is described as a "mechanism of coping."
• Increased Motivation: Despite the hardships, some Ukrainian children exhibit "higher motivation to study," potentially valuing education more highly due to the ongoing conflict.

Re-education in Occupied Territories

In areas of eastern Ukraine occupied by Russia, there are reports of systematic re-education efforts aimed at rewriting the curriculum and altering children's perspectives.

• Curriculum Changes:
  • Mornings begin with singing the Russian anthem, with parents of rebellious children facing intervention from the Russian intelligence service.
  • The Ukrainian language is forbidden, and any mention of Ukraine as an independent state is prohibited.
  • Ukrainian history is being "rewritten dramatically."
• Imposition of Russian Teachers and Textbooks: Russian teachers are being brought in to teach in Ukrainian schools in occupied territories. Ukrainian teachers who remain can only work if they agree to teach in Russian. Textbooks have been replaced with Russian language versions, leading to the study of Russian history.
• Suppression of Dissent: Speaking one's "true opinion" is described as "suicide." There are instances of teachers shouting at pupils, labeling Ukrainians as "Nazis" and accusing them of killing Russians, while imposing Russian views.
• Russian Response: The Russian side denies these allegations, stating they conduct their duties according to Russian laws.

Psychological Impact and Support

The psychological toll on children and young people is immense.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Psychologists identify PTSD as a "very common thing" among those affected by the war. Many individuals may not even realize they have it due to the constant state of survival.
• School-Based Support: In the underground school in Zaporizhzhia, efforts are made to provide more breaks and organize activities like music and dancing for younger children to make the experience "as fun as possible." However, limitations exist, such as the inability for children to run or have proper PE lessons due to the lack of outdoor space.

Broader Context of the War

The transcript provides a brief overview of the ongoing conflict:

• Duration: Russia invaded more than three years ago, in 2022.
• Front Lines: Most of the fighting is concentrated in the south and east of Ukraine.
• Military Tactics: Both sides are extensively using drones.
• Casualties: Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed, with the UN reporting approximately 13,500 civilian deaths.
• Conscription: Ukrainian men aged 18-60 are subject to conscription, with recent changes allowing men up to age 23 to leave the country. Men aged 25-60 must join the army unless they have an exemption.