Children returned to school in Kharkiv last week (Image: Getty)
Ukrainian teachers have an important lesson to share with pupils alongside reading, writing and maths – how to seek shelter between walls or in basements during rocket attacks.
As youngsters across the UK returned to classrooms last week, around 2,000 miles away schoolchildren were preparing for another year of lessons disrupted by air raids.
More than 900 days after the Russian invasion began, Donetsk teacher Sofia told the Daily Express some have become so used to the sound of sirens that they forget to seek shelter.
She said: “If we analyse the behaviour of children at the beginning of the war compared to now, it is truly unsettling.
“Unfortunately, children have come to view the sound of sirens as part of everyday life. They no longer run to hide; they have resigned themselves to the reality of war.”
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Sofia and Viktoria have adapted to lessons being disrupted by air raid sirens (Image: Street Child)
Sofia worked at the same secondary school for two decades before life changed dramatically in February 2022. She now holds lessons online and fears for the mental health of her pupils.
She recalled a striking moment during an air raid when a little girl, hugging her Teddy bear, tearfully told her: “Mrs Sofia, I don’t want the bear to get hurt.”
Sofia said: “Even nine-year-olds have become keenly aware of the news, closely monitoring the frontlines.
“When missiles recently struck, the children were extremely agitated, saying, ‘Mrs. Sofia, did you see that they’re hitting the nearby town? That’s so close to us. It could reach us too. How scary…Will we be safe?’
“During classes, whenever they hear airplanes, they instinctively duck, even if they are engaged in activities.”
Sofia added: “I dream of a day when our children can return to a normal life, where, instead of hearing sirens, they hear the laughter of their friends on the school playground.”
Ukrainian children traditionally celebrate the First Day Bell upon returning to school in September – a day filled with festivity where pupils, parents and teachers welcome the new year with hope.
But it was impossible for many to celebrate in the usual manner when classes resumed last Monday, with offline gatherings banned in some places due to safety concerns.
Another teacher, Viktoria, has helped to develop safety protocols for remote learning. Each lesson begins with instructions on how to stay safe during air raids and other emergencies, and parents are instructed to create a secure area where their children can hide.
Describing the impact of the relentless conflict, Viktoria said: “Children’s eyes are filled with fear and sadness. They often raise their hands to share stories of explosions or low-flying aircraft.
“Some children find it easier to communicate through drawings, often using black to reflect the loss of their sense of security.”
The teachers’ stories were shared by Street Child, which has supported more than 60,000 children and 4,500 teachers and caregivers since the war began.
The UK-based charity supports projects including safe spaces where youngsters can socialise, play and feel like children again.
Tom Dannatt, Street Child’s founder and CEO, said the war had “turned schools into battlegrounds”.
“The story of Sofia’s students, like so many others, highlights the profound impact this war is having on young minds,” he said.
“Children who should be enjoying playgrounds and classrooms are instead seeking shelter from rockets, facing unimaginable levels of stress and fear.
“As September marks the start of the back-to-school season in both the UK and Ukraine, it’s a stark reminder that, for many children in conflict zones, returning to school is far from normal.”
The charity has launched a Back to School campaign to ensure children in some of the world’s toughest places – including those affected by war, natural disasters and extreme poverty – can access education.
Tom added: “Our work in Ukraine focuses on ensuring access to education while providing essential mental health support to help children and families cope with the trauma they endure daily.
“Every child deserves the chance to learn in safety, and we are working tirelessly to make that a reality, even in the most challenging circumstances.”
You can support Street Child’s Back to School appeal here.
Every child deserves that first day of school feeling, writes TOM DANNATT
Last week, children across the UK headed back to school. While most would prefer the holidays to last forever, returning to school is an important time to reconnect with friends and learn, which is vital for future success.
Education builds skills, earns qualifications, and lays the foundation for a better life. Globally, hundreds of millions of children are also returning to school.
Yet, tens of millions won’t be joining them due to poverty, conflict, and natural disasters. In conflict zones like Cameroon, schools have been destroyed or targeted by violence.
In areas of extreme poverty, such as in Sierra Leone and Nepal, many children are forced to stay home because their families cannot afford education.
For children returning to school in conflict zones like Ukraine, the experience is far from normal—they need mental health support to cope with ongoing trauma.
Street Child operates in over 20 of the world’s poorest and most disaster-affected countries, reaching over one million children with access to education and mental health support in just 15 years.
We do this through social work, community engagement, school construction, and special classes for displaced children.
This year, Street Child is launching a ‘Back to School’ campaign, encouraging families, schools, and communities across the UK to contribute.
The goal is simple: to extend the promise of education to as many children as possible in some of the world’s toughest places.
For £4 a month, donors can support a child’s education for a whole year, and for every person who sets up a regular gift before the end of September, we’ll commit to getting one child back into school this term.
– Tom Dannatt is Street Child founder and CEO