Dok hrvatska djeca još uživaju u posljednjem tjednu praznika, nastava u Ukrajini već je počela. Tradicionalno, 1. rujna je praznik, Dan znanja. Naravno, ukrajinska škola prolazi kroz teška vremena tijekom sveopće invazije. Ali život i nastava se nastavljaju!

Školski sustav u Ukrajini

Školovanje u Ukrajini traje 11 (12 nakon reforme) godina. Djeca kreću u školu sa 6-7 godina. Školska godina traje od 1. rujna do 31. svibnja, s jesenskim, zimskim i proljetnim praznicima.

Potpuno opće srednje obrazovanje je obavezno. Nakon 9 razreda, učenici se mogu upisati na koledže ili strukovne škole. Po završetku školovanja, učenici polažu ispite. S tim rezultatima upisuju se na sveučilišta. Sustav ocjenjivanja je dvanaest bodova, za razliku od pet bodova u Hrvatskoj. 10, 11 i 12 bodova su kao 5 bodova, 5+ i izvanredno, 5++.

Utjecaj rata na školu

Prije početka velikog rata 2022. godine, ukrajinska škola se suočila s istim izazovima kao i svi ostali – epidemijom Covida 19 i učenjem na daljinu. Upravo zahvaljujući tom iskustvu, već nekoliko tjedana nakon invazije, većina škola nastavila je s nastavom. I za djecu koja su se našla u inozemstvu također. Djeca su imala priliku završiti školu na daljinu, pa čak i upisati se na ukrajinska sveučilišta, polažući ispite u različitim gradovima Europe i svijeta. Snimke nastavnika koji su nastavili podučavati djecu iz rovova, skloništa i jednostavno s ulice, gdje su se mogli spojiti na internet, proširile su se mrežom na početku rata.

Naravno, ratna iskušenja ne idu u prilog učenicima i nastavnicima. Emocionalno stanje djece u Ukrajini i u prisilnoj migraciji pati. Osim toga, broj učenika se, nažalost, postupno smanjuje. Godine 2025. u Ukrajini se u školama obrazuje 3,5 milijuna djece. Pristup nastavi, metode i tehnologije se mijenjaju i prilagođavaju izazovima vremena.

Sigurnost i otpornost

Posebno važna tema je fizička sigurnost djece. Agresorska zemlja napada mirne gradove, lovi civile i uništava infrastrukturu. Od 2022. godine oštećeno je gotovo 3000 obrazovnih ustanova. Više od stotinu ih je potpuno uništeno. Zahvaljujući lokalnim naporima i pomoći međunarodnih fondova, škole u Ukrajini se obnavljaju, a u njima se grade skloništa. Zbog sigurnosti djece organizirani su razredi na stanicama podzemne željeznice. Izgrađeno je i oko 140 podzemnih škola.

Ukrajinski školarci u Hrvatskoj

Iskustvo mnogih ukrajinskih školaraca koji su se našli u Hrvatskoj je pozitivno. Općenito visoka razina poznavanja engleskog jezika u zemlji pomogla je u komunikaciji između roditelja i škole, kao i u prvim tjednima nastave. Otvorenost i ljubaznost u hrvatskim školama uvelike su pridonijele učinkovitoj integraciji ukrajinskih školaraca. Ukrajinski roditelji su za to neizmjerno zahvalni.

Škola otpornosti

Ukrajinska škola je organski dio društva. I dijeli opći stav “izdržati unatoč svemu”. Već danas, 2. rujna, veći dio nastavnog dana učenici su proveli u skloništima. Iskustvo koje stječu ukrajinski prosvjetni radnici, nažalost, još će moći biti korisno njihovim kolegama diljem svijeta. Stoga će svi imati nešto za naučiti jedni od drugih. Nije li to najbolji zaključak za Dan znanja?

Wartime School

While Croatian children are still enjoying their last week of vacation, schooling in Ukraine has already begun. Traditionally, September 1st is a holiday, the Day of Knowledge. Undoubtedly, the Ukrainian school system is going through a difficult time during the full-scale invasion. But life and learning continue!

School Education in Ukraine

Schooling in Ukraine lasts for 11 (or 12 after the reform) years. Children start school at the age of 6-7. The school year runs from September 1st to May 31st, with autumn, winter, and spring breaks.

Full general secondary education is compulsory. After the 9th grade, students can enroll in colleges or vocational schools. Upon completion of high school, students take exams. They then use these results to apply to universities. The grading system is a twelve-point scale, unlike the five-point one in Croatia. Grades 10, 11, and 12 are equivalent to a 5, 5+, and excellent, 5++, respectively.

The Impact of War on School

Even before the full-scale war began in 2022, Ukrainian schools faced the same challenges as everyone else: the Covid-19 pandemic and distance learning. It was thanks to this experience that most schools resumed classes just a couple of weeks after the invasion. This included classes for children who found themselves abroad. Children had the opportunity to finish school remotely and even enroll in Ukrainian universities by taking exams in various cities across Europe and the world. Videos of teachers continuing to teach children from trenches, shelters, and simply from the street where they could connect to the internet, went viral at the beginning of the war.

Of course, the trials of war are not easy for students and teachers. The emotional state of children in Ukraine and those in forced migration suffers. Additionally, the number of schoolchildren, unfortunately, is gradually decreasing. In 2025, 3.5 million children are studying in Ukrainian schools. The approach to learning, methods, and technologies are changing and adapting to the challenges of the time.

Security and Resilience

A particularly important topic is the physical safety of children. The aggressor country attacks peaceful cities, targets civilians, and damages infrastructure. Since 2022, up to 3000 educational institutions have been damaged. More than a hundred have been completely destroyed. Thanks to local efforts and the help of international funds, schools in Ukraine are being restored, and shelters are being built in them. For the safety of children, classes are organized in subway stations. About 140 underground schools have also been built.

Ukrainian Students in Croatia

The experience of many Ukrainian students who found themselves in Croatia has been positive. The generally high level of English proficiency in the country greatly helped with communication between parents and the school, as well as during the first weeks of learning. Overall, the openness and friendliness in Croatian schools have greatly contributed to the effective integration of Ukrainian students. This is something to be learned from in Croatia. And for this, the parents of Ukrainian schoolchildren are immensely grateful.

School of Resilience

The Ukrainian school is an organic part of society. And it shares the general attitude of “holding on despite everything.” Already today, on September 2nd, students spent most of their school day in shelters. The experience that Ukrainian educators are gaining, unfortunately, may still be useful to their colleagues around the world. So, everyone will have something to learn from each other. Isn’t that the best conclusion for the Day of Knowledge?