CF “East SOS” participated in the development of the Concept, which will help children with TOT to get an education in the Ukrainian government-controlled territory

On September 3, 2024, the inaugural meeting of the working group for the preparation of the Concept for Access to Education for Youth from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine took place. The charitable foundation “East SOS” was represented by Yulia Kishenko, coordinator of educational programs, and Yaroslav Taranets, legal analyst.

The main goal of the meeting was to begin work on the Concept, which will form the basis of new approaches and strategies to ensure equal opportunities for quality education for young people from temporarily occupied territories.

In her speech, Yulia Kishenko spoke about the obstacles faced by educators, children, and parents. These challenges include:

Security issues (it is dangerous for children from temporarily occupied territories to continue online education from controlled territory schools because russian military personnel check phones, monitor parents and children, and apply psychological pressure);

Communication disruptions (internet is frequently unavailable in temporarily occupied territories, and online learning platforms are regularly blocked);

Deliberate interference by the occupiers in children’s access to schools from controlled territories;

Increased workload on educators (teachers are forced to plan lessons in three formats without a salary increase: online, for those who cannot connect, and for those abroad).

According to the foundation’s specialist, it is crucial to ensure access to education and maintain connections between Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories and controlled territory.

“It is essential to reach fundamental decisions for organizing the educational process. Challenges vary across different occupied territories. There is no universal response. Several flexible options are needed to allow uninterrupted learning and access to Ukrainian-standard educational certificates,” Yulia Kishenko explained.

The speakers also emphasized the importance of creating comfortable conditions for the relocation of children from temporarily occupied territories and their admission to educational institutions. As noted by the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, the number of children from temporarily occupied territories enrolling in educational institutions in controlled territories decreases each year.