Reforming Ukraine’s Schools and the Impact of German Education on Ukrainian Refugees

On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, causing one of the largest humanitarian crises in Europe in recent history. The war has impacted every aspect of life in Ukraine, most notably the education sector. Families who remained in Ukraine have had to adapt to a new education routine under wartime conditions, and those who evacuated abroad have had to navigate an unfamiliar learning environment. Prior to the invasion, the Ukrainian education system was undergoing transformation through government-sponsored reforms. Even though these reforms were in their early stages, they showed positive results within the schools that were selected to participate. But due to the full-scale war, government workers and education specialists have shifted their priorities to more urgent matters, such as supporting humanitarian efforts. As a result of the war’s impact on Ukraine’s education sector, many Ukrainian families abroad have chosen to integrate their children into schools within their host countries. The experiences of Ukrainian pupils in their host countries’ schools vary greatly, but exposure to new education practices within EU countries such as Germany could be beneficial and help to further develop Ukraine’s education sector in the post-war period.