10:40 p.m
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
New York – ASA
The United Nations children’s agency UNICEF has warned that the ongoing war in Ukraine has disrupted education for more than five million children, and called for increased international support to ensure children are not left behind.
And the United Nations Information Center mentioned – in a statement, today; On the occasion of the International Day of Education, corresponding to January 24, the 11-month-old conflict has exacerbated the crisis of learning lost due to the Corona (Covid-19) pandemic, and more than 8 years of war for children in eastern Ukraine.
According to (UNICEF), more than 1.9 million children were having access to educational opportunities via the Internet, and 1.3 million children were learning remotely as well as by attending learning places, but (UNICEF) indicates that recent attacks on power plants and other energy infrastructure have caused Power cuts are widespread, and almost all children in Ukraine are left without continuous access to electricity, meaning that even attending virtual classes is a constant challenge.
UNICEF works with the Ukrainian government; To help return children to learning in the classroom when it is safe, and through Internet-based alternatives or community-based solutions if in-person learning is not possible.
UNICEF called for an end to attacks on educational facilities and other civilian objects inside Ukraine, including the energy infrastructure on which children and families depend.
It also called for increased support to ensure children’s access to offline learning materials; to ensure that they continue to learn and connect with their peers and teachers; As well as support for the recovery plan in Ukraine, and efforts to rebuild and rehabilitate schools and nurseries.
In countries hosting refugees, UNICEF called for giving priority to integrating Ukrainian refugee children into national education systems across all levels of education, especially early childhood education and primary education.
She stressed that it is important for the competent authorities to identify and overcome the organizational and administrative barriers that impede children’s access to formal education at all levels and to provide clear, accessible information to refugee families.
UNICEF called for providing multiple pathways to learning, especially for children of secondary school age when access to the education system cannot be guaranteed immediately.
“Schools and early childhood education spaces provide an important sense of regularity and safety for children, and missing out on learning can have lifelong consequences,” said Afshan Khan, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia. “There is no pause button, it is not an option to postpone Simply educate children and get back to it once other priorities have been addressed, without risking the future of an entire generation.”
The UN official indicated that the continuous use of explosive weapons – including in populated areas – has damaged or destroyed thousands of schools, nurseries or other educational facilities across the country, and at the same time, many parents and caregivers are reluctant to send children to school due to safety concerns.
“(UNICEF) will continue to work with the government of Ukraine and the governments of host countries to provide solutions to help children in conflict zones, and those who have been displaced from their homes to continue their education,” Khan said.
