The First Day of School in Ukraine: Learning Amid War
Updated: Sep 2, 2025 Reading time: 2 minutes Share: Share an articleSeptember 1st — the traditional Day of Knowledge in Ukraine — used to be marked by flowers, laughter, and the joyful anticipation of a new school year. Today, it looks very different. For millions of children across the country, the first day of school in 2025 began not with celebrations in classrooms, but with the grim realities of war.
Learning Under Threat
More than 3,800 educational institutions in Ukraine have been damaged since the start of the full-scale invasion, and over 400 completely destroyed. For many children, “back to school” now means logging into online classes from cramped apartments, temporary shelters, or even from abroad as displaced families seek safety.
In frontline and border regions, safety remains the overriding concern. Instead of lining up in school yards, children in some communities were led to basements and bomb shelters for the start of the academic year. Underground classrooms, reinforced basements, and adapted metro stations have become places of learning — spaces that shield children from missile and drone attacks while allowing lessons to continue.
Different Realities for Different Children
The new school year has highlighted a growing divide:
- Offline with interruptions: Some schools that have access to shelters can conduct in-person lessons, though classes are often disrupted by air-raid sirens.
- Online only: In areas without safe shelters, teaching remains fully remote. Children sit at kitchen tables or in communal centers, connected only by screens to their teachers and peers.
- Hybrid models: In relatively safer regions, schools experiment with mixed formats — bringing children in when possible, but falling back on online learning when threats intensify.
Protecting Education, Protecting the Future
For children, school is more than a place of knowledge — it provides routine, safety, and hope for the future. Continuing education under these circumstances is an act of resilience, but it also requires strong support. Humanitarian organizations, including People in Need, work with partners to repair damaged schools, equip shelters, provide learning devices, and support teachers in adapting to these extreme conditions.
Despite the devastation, the determination of children, teachers, and parents is remarkable. On the first day of school, children carried not just notebooks and pens, but also courage — the courage to learn, dream, and believe in a future where classrooms will once again be filled with light instead of sirens.
