More than 3,800 schools have been damaged, 400 completely destroyed

(MissionNewswire) For the fourth year in a row, students who returned to class in Ukraine* connected from home, shelters or from other countries where their families have moved in search of safety. The war has forced remote education, in some cases in underground classrooms, said Father Oleh Ladnyuk, a Salesian teacher in Ukraine, in a Vatican news article.

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, more than 3,800 schools have been damaged, almost 400 of which have been completely destroyed.

In Ukraine, the Ministry of Education provides general recommendations, while schools choose the teaching methods (face-to-face, distance or blended), depending on the security situation and the availability of shelters. Underground schools, already operational in several large cities close to the front line such as Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv, offer more children the possibility of attending classes in person. By the end of 2025, there are plans to open 150 such facilities in Ukraine.

“The majority of our pupils come to school and attend classes in person,” explained Fr. Ladnyuk, a military chaplain and high school history teacher in Dnipro. His statement comes from a recent interview with Vatican media.

Fr. Ladnyuk explained that many of the high school students have not returned because they have moved away. In the article, he said, “Many parents try to move with the whole family or send their older children to Western Europe or to the western regions of Ukraine. It is a sad trend, but I understand parents who want the best for their children.”

He also explained that teachers serve a dual role and have since the beginning of the war. They try to be an example of behavior and stability for the children, they invent everything to motivate them, go with them to shelters and calm them down during alarms.

Fr. Ladnyuk emphasized that for him teaching at the school is an opportunity to put the Salesian charism into practice as well as a chance to take his mind off the war. He noted, “It was good to see my pupils on their first day of school, I saw the joy in their eyes too. This is a beautiful thing about being a teacher: having the chance to meet the children who love you and whom you also love.”

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Sources:

ANS – Ukraine – School starts again, and the bell is an air raid warning

Salesian Missions

UNHCR – Ukraine

*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.