As the war in Ukraine continues into its third year, the destruction extends far beyond the battlefield. Education remains under attack, with 1,306 educational facilities damaged, and 294 completely destroyed, according to a recent report by UN Human Rights (OCCHR).
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that over 3,800 schools have been impacted in total, underscoring the severe strain on Ukraine’s educational system. This shows that the damage goes beyond physical infrastructure – it also affects the mental health of Ukrainian children who are displaced and living under constant threat.
Schools in Ukraine have been repeatedly targeted since the conflict escalated in 2022. Many students now have to adapt, either by attending classes in shifts, studying remotely, or relocating entirely.
In response to these challenges, in 2019, the Ukrainian government endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, a commitment to safeguarding education from the worst effects of armed conflict. Despite this, the war continues to inflict profound damage, both visible and invisible, on Ukrainian children.
According to the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), the definition of attacks on education extends beyond the physical destruction of school buildings. It includes threats, abductions, sexual violence, and the use of educational facilities for military purposes. These actions have far-reaching consequences, leading to injuries, deaths, dropout rates, the loss of teachers, and school closures. The long-term societal damage is immense, particularly amongst marginalised groups.
Education during wartime
Education in wartime Ukraine has become an exercise in resilience. Schools have been damaged by aerial bombs, artillery shelling, rocket strikes, and in some cases, cluster munitions, transforming places of learning into sites of destruction. The resulting damage includes collapsed roofs, destroyed walls, and classrooms filled with debris.
Before the war, children in Ukraine enjoyed a relatively carefree routine. Their days were filled with schoolwork, extracurricular activities and play. However, the onset of the escalation of the conflict in 2022 has changed their routines drastically.
What was once a time for exploration and fun is disrupted today by sirens and looming anxiety.
“It is difficult, especially if you have plans that you have to keep changing or cancelling because of the siren alarm,” says Yanina, a 13-year-old from Lviv, western Ukraine. Many students like Yanina find it hard to focus amid frequent air raid alerts and the ever-present threat of attack.
“I only feel scared when I hear exploding sounds, but if it is just a general air raid alert, I am used to it,” she adds.
With remote learning often affected by power outages, attending school in person is seen as a more stable option. Not many people in Ukraine own power generators or portable power devices. The availability of safe shelter within schools has become a critical factor in enabling children to continue their education amidst the war.
“It is better to go to school rather than studying online, in addition to having a safe bomb shelter there,” says Yanina.
The ability to process these alarms and distinguish between real and perceived threats is a coping mechanism that many children in Ukraine have developed. In most Ukrainian schools, children have their emergency bags and soft toys with them. During an air raid alert, the students follow their teachers calmly to the shelter, where different exercises, games and activities are carried out.
“Children who are exposed to prolonged conflict suffer from stress and anxiety,” says Kseniia Sulyma, a 51-year-old psychologist from Kyiv, Ukraine. “After a long air raid alert, especially if it happens at night, children suffer from a chronic lack of sleep, distracted attention, difficulties concentrating, and fatigue.”
“When I feel scared, I talk to my parents and my teachers. A hug from the teachers and words of support are what make me feel safe the most,” says Yanina.
“I advise all the children in the world that they should appreciate being able to go to school every day. I would advise them to not be afraid, everything has an end, even war. You should enjoy every minute of your life and time with family.”
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), with the support of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), carried out essential rehabilitation work at the school, which included replacing the exterior metal emergency doors, installing new entrance doors, and fitting windowsills after replacing damaged windows.
Beyond the classroom doors
Teachers in Ukraine have become more than educators. They are now crucial mental health supporters for their students. Parents approach teachers for support and assistance to monitor their children’s wellbeing. Students in schools are observed during lessons and breaks, and diagnostic tests and exercises are conducted on students of different age groups.
From the damaged cities of Mykolaiv and Slavuta, to the small village of Nalyvaikivka, teachers are facing difficulty in continuing to provide education amidst destruction, fear and displacement.
In Odessa
“During the active phase of the war in June 2022, I fled with my sister to Odessa, where I had to teach my students remotely,” shares Yuliia, a 52-year-old teacher from Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine. When she returned to Mykolaiv in November 2023, she found her school building heavily damaged by shelling. The only resort was to teach students remotely.
“A good number of children did not have access to internet and electronic devices. Some had to go abroad to continue their studies,” she adds.
In April 2023, one of Yuliia’s students was killed by shelling at his house, leaving classmates devastated. “Seeing the other students distressed, in shock and hardly able to process losing their classmate, we organised commemoration activities to bring the students together and support the family of the child,” Yuliia recalls.
In Slavuta
An attack in October 2023 left all the educational institutions in Slavuta, western Ukraine, damaged.
“Our inclusive educational centre was heavily damaged. The roof was destroyed, and some windows remain shattered to this day,” recalls Valentyna, a 42-year-old teacher at the inclusive resource centre for children with special needs. “We lost expensive equipment crucial for supporting these children.”
Remote learning proved nearly impossible for the centre, which relies on direct contact with the children. “Some children, especially the ones who are autistic, could not understand what was going on. They cried a lot and were disoriented,” says Valentyna.
“At the beginning of the war, we were all scared but stayed on duty day and night to protect the centre from any assaults or burglars.”
In Nalyvaikivka
Nataliia is a 47-year-old teacher from the village of Nalyvaikivka, Kyiv Oblast. Much like Valentyna’s experience, she found her schools damaged after returning in April 2022. “The roof was damaged, 16 windows were fully destroyed, and the rain caused further structural damage,” she says.
“When the children came back after the evacuation, they were frightened, confused, and did not understand what was going on or how to cope with the stress,” she says. “Smiles and laughter are rarely heard in our school now.”
“Teachers should receive more psychological assistance,” Nataliia emphasises. “We need more tools and techniques to support the children and ensure a stabilised mental health.”
With the support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA), NRC rehabilitated key areas of the school in Nalyvaikivka. The project included repairing damaged sections of the roof, renovating the sanitary facilities, and restoring the sports hall. Additionally, we provided Better Learning Programme (BLP) training to teachers, equipping them with essential skills to support their students’ educational and emotional needs.
A school’s battle to keep education alive
More than two and a half years into the conflict, attacks on schools persist. In July 2024, an aerial bomb struck Myronivka School in the Shostka area of north-eastern Ukraine, about 60km from the Russian border. The unexploded bomb tore through the roof, a classroom, and the school canteen, which remains out of service.
“Our school has been operating with a mixed system since the beginning of the conflict,” explains Mykhailo Solotvinskyi, the school’s director. “Five or six classrooms have in-person attendance, while the rest study online. This rotation system gives students a regular chance to socialise.”
In-person attendance is limited due to the constrained space in the school’s underground shelter. Both students and teachers have to remain in the shelter during air raid alerts, which can last for hours. “Last year, we spent about 40 per cent of our time in the school shelter,” Solotvinskyi notes.
Protect Ukraine’s future
The mental wellbeing of Ukrainian children and their teachers is under severe strain. Living under the constant threat of missile strikes, many are coping with the loss of loved ones, disrupted lives, and uncertain futures. Stress, sleep deprivation, and heightened anxiety are widespread.
According to UNICEF, around 1.5 million children in Ukraine are at risk of developing mental health issues, like depression, anxiety, and PTSD due to the war. This ongoing conflict has created a crisis that will likely resonate for generations.
In 2024 alone, with the support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), and Germany through the German Development Bank (KfW), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) rehabilitated 19 schools damaged by missile strikes and provided financial support to 18 schools in Ukraine.
Additionally, we trained 443 teachers through our Better Learning Programme (BLP), which focuses on trauma and stress recovery for Ukrainian children, while providing psychosocial support to over 10,500 teachers and students. In partnership with Teach for Ukraine, Open Policy Foundation, and Youth Platform, we delivered catch-up classes, distributed school materials and organised youth engagement programmes, helping to stabilise and support education in conflict-affected areas.
Children who have been displaced face additional challenges. They must adapt to new environments, integrate into new schools, and cope with language barriers with dealing with trauma of war. These children, along with their teachers, are living with overwhelming emotional burdens.
The psychosocial toll of these attacks on education will be felt for years to come. As the war continues, so too must the efforts to protect and support the education and mental health of Ukraine’s children – ensuring they have the opportunity to heal and rebuild their futures.
Source: Norwegian Refugee Council
