Russia’s war interferes with the education of Ukrainian children: UK statement to the OSCE
Justin Addison (UK delegation) speaks at an OSCE Economic and Environmental Committee meeting about the impact Russia's war against Ukraine has on education.
Mr Chair, as you said, this event’s concept note clearly sets out the devastating effect of Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine on education and training, the workforce, health, work experience, and human capital stock. As it mentions, many of the 5.23 million people seeking refuge in countries neighbouring Ukraine are children. Instead of learning about the history of war and its disastrous consequences from their classrooms, they are living it. We just heard that 1,892 educational institutions have been damaged, many of which have been destroyed completely, making the return to ordinary education impossible.
In some areas temporarily under the control of the Russian armed forces there are worrying reports of Russian troops interfering in the education of Ukrainian children – with teachers brought in from Russia to impose the Russian curriculum.
Heartbreakingly, many Ukrainians – including children – have been forcibly removed from their homes and deported against their will to Russia. The social and psychological trauma experienced by these children will be felt for years to come.
Mr Chair, in 2020 young people everywhere were forced away from classrooms. In the UK the pandemic forced all our schools, colleges and universities to swiftly shift to remote teaching. But something positive has come out of this shift; and in the years since we have seen a revolution in the way people learn.
While we champion the return to in-person teaching, during the pandemic we saw the development of some innovative approaches to digital teaching that enhanced experience and learning alongside face-to-face. For some, this offer has been vital in supporting their participation and consolidating learning. Where students do not have the tools to take advantage of this, we have made sure that there are hardship funds for universities to support disadvantaged students, including with the purchase of IT equipment.
Technology has an incredible ability to expand our horizons. It is not just about enabling students in the OSCE region to go on a virtual field trip to the Andes, it can just as easily bring students from around the world to enjoy the benefits of our own education systems from their own home, such as through the UK’s world-leading transnational education offer, or TNE, where students around the world can access and benefit from UK education, irrespective of their location. Whether students decide to learn in-person, at a branch campus or through online and blended activity, the UK’s TNE offer provides high-quality options.
Education exports such as TNE make an important contribution to our economies. In fact, in 2019, the value of TNE was estimated at £2.2 billion. It also helps build global relationships and education partnerships, opening up opportunities for greater collaboration and the exchange of knowledge.
Mr Chair, these lessons can be learned because the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are subsiding. But for the Ukrainian children whose schools have been destroyed by Russian forces, or who have been forced from their home, it is unclear when their education can return to normal. Let us be clear – children are paying for President Putin’s war. The international community must act together to continue to hold Russia to account for its horrific crimes.
The UK remains unwavering in our support for Ukraine. We reaffirm our commitment to the reconstruction of the country and will pursue our ongoing assistance to Ukraine as long as necessary. We stand with Ukraine and with its children and young people.