Children in Ukrainian city of Kharkiv receive education in metro stations due to war

While the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, classrooms have been set up in some metro stations for primary school students in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, which is a frequent target of Russian missile attacks.

The classrooms located on the upper floor of the metro became operational with the start of the academic year in September.

More than 1,000 children from different schools in the city attend lectures and do sports in the classes organized by the Kharkiv Municipality. Food is also provided for students here.

While some of the children are dropped off here by their parents, some are brought by public buses and delivered to their families by the teachers at the end of their lessons.

- ‘1,080 children receive education in metro’

Following the start of the war, schooling across Ukraine switched to online and schools were not opened due to safety concerns for children, Olga Demenko, director of the Education Department of the Kharkiv City Council, told Anadolu.

She said that education in metro stations started in September with the beginning of the new school year.

“Some 1,080 children receive education in five metro stations in Kharkiv. There are 64 classes in total. Middle school and high school students are used to online education and know how to use this system,” she said.

“Young children need socialization. Of these 64 classes, 26 are first years. It is important for children who start school after the kindergarten to integrate,” she added.

Demenko said the children attending the classes are from different schools and in addition to teachers, security and health personnel and psychologists also work at the metro schools.

“Buses were allocated for children by the municipality. Some children are brought here by their parents. Many of the children are brought here by buses accompanied by police cars. This is how we educate our children, who are the future of Ukraine,” she said.

Demenko hoped peace would be achieved in Ukraine and children would return to school.

- ‘Kids feel good here’

Primary schoolteacher Natalya Petrenko, who teaches in metro classes, said they were shocked in the first months of the war, but later they mobilized and organized online classes.

Stating that many children took refuge in other countries, Petrenko said: “We started the classes by contacting the children's parents. Children abroad were taking online lessons in the evenings. After a while, they began to return to Kharkiv from abroad and the west of Ukraine. Thus, they continue their education here.”

Petrenko said teaching in classrooms is more beneficial for children, adding: "Children are educated here under suitable conditions and feel good. At first, parents were a little worried, but after seeing the conditions here, they relaxed. Because everything is well organized."

Pediatrician Liliya Bogdan also said that she is monitoring the health status of the students.

“I take the children's temperature. We carry out the necessary tests. Children feel good here, they are in a good mood.”