Ukraine students went back to school this August but for many students things look drastically different. Almost half of Ukranian students will have to rely on online or hybrid school schedules due to the overall lack of bomb shelters in schools as well as the overwhelming risk of air strikes. 

Throughout Ukraine, many different schools are finding solutions to students not being able to physically attend classes in their usual locations. In Kharkiv, Ukraine, a metro station is in the process of being converted into a classroom in order to avoid the tedious back-and-forth travel to bunkers where most learning will have to be completed in front of a screen.

¨A school in a subway is starting to work for our city,¨ Valentyna Bandura, the mother of a school aged child, stated to a reporter from ABC news. Bandura continued to state that she was uncertain on how things would successfully work out with students being forced to gain their education through online experiences. Even stating that, ¨ This is the first experience not only for our city, but for Ukraine in general.¨ 

According to the Ukraine Ministry of Education, an estimated, 1.7 million students will be struggling when it comes to ensuring their ability to attend in-person classes, one million of the 1.7 will be forced into completely online classes. This is all due to the extremely low number of viable bomb shelters placed in schools across Ukraine that can defend students from incoming air strikes.

Although safety is the main concern, Ukrainian students and teachers also face challenges when it comes to finding proper equipment as well as internet connection. Many parents across Ukraine find themselves struggling to make ends meet due to the need for their children to acquire new equipment and technology to make online learning possible. Bandura states that, “We hope there will be no power outages…. And with just one tablet and two kids, someone will have to work on their phone at times.”

Ukrainian students who have the privilege of attending in person school still face challenges when it comes to becoming familiar with the proper procedure to follow in case of an air raid. With many students already experiencing 18 months worth of war, they have become familiar with the procedure of what to do if an air raid may strike while at home, but memorizing two different procedures and plans in two vastly separate places can cause confusion and stress for many students. 

For more information in regards to Ukrainian students going back to school, you can stay updated with ABC News, (link that you used needs to be here, please.) https://abcnews.go.com/International/International/ukrainian-students-head-back-school-classrooms/story?id=102862964