Between two cultures: Bridging the gap for Ukrainian students in Poland

Adjusting to the Polish school system has not been easy, bringing with it a new language to learn, along with a new curriculum, all while having the added stress from fleeing your home and loved ones. Meanwhile, uncertainty and doubt over whether the stay is permanent or only temporary continues to hover.

A CARE Poland report (co-authored by IRC and Save the Children) highlights that nearly half of Ukrainian children remain out of school. Some of those are in online Ukrainian schools. For many, this is the way to stay connected to their culture and their language, and this familiarity, of course, brings some comfort.

“By November 2022, we already knew that many of Ukraine’s youth were out of school,” says Piotr. “Together with our partners, we wanted to understand where they were. We wanted to know: What are they doing? What are they thinking and planning? What could we do about it, and what would be the consequences if we didn’t?”

Now, two years of war, plus two years of COVID-19 prior to war, means a Ukrainian child may have spent their entire schooling online. CARE Poland, along with partners, has implemented successful education programs to address these challenges.

In Gdansk, teenagers attend Polish school during the day and Ukrainian classes in the evenings, covering subjects like biology, history, mathematics, science, and of course, Ukrainian language and culture.

“My grandmother is a teacher in Ukrainian, and from my childhood I learned a lot about Ukrainian language and about grammar and I like it,” says Tatiana, 17. “I can learn my national subjects and it helps me feel better while living abroad. Every day for me here is great, the teachers are so helpful, they support us. They help us with our problems.”

Andriy, 15, who fled Chernivtsi alone, finds solace in the program. He said it has been difficult making friends in this new city.

“My favorite part of this school is I can study my Ukrainian lessons and my native language,” he says. “The teachers are the best; this school is perfect. I am really happy here. It is the best thing to happen to me in 2 years. It also helps me prepare for university — emotionally and socially.”

“First it was difficult when we came to Poland,” says Nastia, 17. “I didn’t know the language or any people and everything was new. I was going to Polish school for the first three months, but I was put in eighth grade instead of tenth grade — not the right age or knowledge level. So I decided to continue Ukrainian online school. It was difficult. But my mom heard about these CARE programs, and now I come here as well. It’s better for me to be in a class with peers than to be online studying.”

Based in Warsaw, Unbreakable Ukraine consists of three schools throughout Poland which teach both in both Ukrainian and Polish. It was started in March 2022 by Viktoriia Gnap, and now serves almost 1,400 students. She and her husband wanted to create safe spaces for the thousands of Ukrainian children arriving in Poland.

“This is an island of stability — a bridge school for the children so there are no interruptions in their education,” says Viktoriia.

The schools also teach Polish curriculum, to help with integration and potential transition into the Polish school system, providing graduates with both a Ukrainian and a Polish diploma.

A recent visit coincided with the International Day of Native Language, a happy occasion filled with traditional dress (Vyshyvanka) and a pie-in-face contest with Viktoriia. The atmosphere was one of excitement, laughter, and hope.

“We are celebrating our native language today!” said Kait, 7. “Ukrainian is my native language, and it is so special! And I am wearing my Vyshyvanka too. The prints are so nice.”

Both programs in Gdansk and Warsaw do their best to bridge the educational gap for Ukrainian students in Poland. But more must be done. Even after finding stability, two years after the war escalated, a generation of Ukrainian children is at risk.

With several world crises happening at the same time, it’s understandable that the world’s focus has turned away from the war in Ukraine and the needs of so many Ukrainians, not only in Poland, but in neighboring countries as well.

“With the war in Ukraine dragging on, ensuring Ukrainian children’s education is critical,” says CARE Poland’s Piotr Sasin. “Continued support for NGOs like CARE is essential to prevent a lost generation in Ukraine.”