The NGO Save the Children has denounced Tuesday the destruction of half a hundred schools in Ukraine since the start of the academic year due to clashes with Russian forces, which means an average of approximately one school destroyed every two days since then.
Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science reports show that 48 schools were completely destroyed in fighting, shelling and missile attacks from September to December 2022. This means that nearly a quarter of all schools that have been rendered unusable since the Russian invasion of the territory began in February 2022 have been destroyed in the past five months. Another 133 have been damaged during the first half of this academic year, the NGO warned in a statement.
«Since last February 24, a total of 3,025 educational spaces have suffered shelling. This includes kindergartens, secondary schools, special education schools and nursery and primary schools. Of these, 406 have been completely destroyed,» the document states.
In September, only every third school in Ukraine was able to open its doors for classes as only buildings with shelters are allowed to accept students. According to the latest report of the Ministry of Education, one million children are currently attending schools and about 1.2 million more are combining online and face-to-face classes.
«Although face-to-face learning is more beneficial for children, many feel unsafe at school due to the threat of missile attacks and the need for shelter,» the statement said.
However, continued closures of schools and high schools in areas with active fighting mean that many children have not set foot in a classroom for nearly a year. «This war has made it incredibly difficult for Ukrainian children to access education. Millions of students have been forced to learn from home because of the ever-present threat of shelling and missile attacks,» explained Sonia Khush, director of Save the Children Ukraine.
«Those who enjoy attending class and meeting their friends are now forced to trade their classrooms for dank, cold basements as soon as the sirens sound. School should be a happy and safe place for children, and an essential tool for them to become fulfilled individuals,» she stressed.
In this regard, he has called for ensuring «unhindered access to education and full protection while they learn.» «Daily attacks on schools in Ukraine must not be tolerated, because they compromise not only children’s opportunity to learn but also their lives,» Khush pointed out.
Save the Children has in turn demanded that international humanitarian law be respected and called on the UN Security Council to fulfill its mandate to maintain peace and security. «Perpetrators of attacks against children must be held accountable,» the organization said.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
