UNHCR and LWF open new underground schools in Kharkiv to help children stay safe while learning [EN/UK]

Kharkiv, Ukraine, 10 February – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in partnership with LWF, the Lutheran World Federation in Ukraine, and local organization Spilna Sprava Dlia Liudey and in coordination with Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov today inaugurated new classrooms underground in the Railway Lyceum’s bomb shelter in Kharkiv city. This complements the priority of the Government and the President of Ukraine in setting up shelters in schools, enabling children to study offline.

With more underground school facilities already opened or in progress across the country, including in Kharkiv region, this initiative aims to ensure that children can stay safe while attending school in-person without having their education disrupted by running up and down to protective shelters during frequent air raid alerts.

The full-scale invasion has left a devastating mark on Ukraine’s educational infrastructure, with over 3,600 education facilities damaged and close to 400 fully destroyed. Children in front-line territories are spending thousands of hours in basements and subway stations during air raids, and 70% of them are currently only able to go to school online, UN figures show. The impossibility for most children to attend in-person education further affects their well-being, with 44% of children reporting mental health and socialization problems.

In the heavily impacted Kharkiv region, nearly half of all schools have been damaged or destroyed. In response to these challenges, the new underground schools will provide a secure environment where children can study without the constant fear of disruption or danger. The facilities will provide comfortable, inclusive, and accessible learning environments equipped with modern furniture, learning materials, and electronic devices, catering to various age groups. Recreational areas and disability-friendly infrastructure are also integrated to support both education and psychosocial well-being.

“Every child in Ukraine has the right to life and to learn in safety. This new underground school facility is a small but important contribution to making this a reality for children who have been forced to study online for years, first during COVID and then following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is extremely sad that we have to build schools underground for children to be able to enjoy their basic right to education, but this is unfortunately the reality in Ukraine, where missile, drone and glide bomb attacks hit cities like Kharkiv almost every day. Together with the Kharkiv City Council and the Lutheran World Federation, we are glad to open this space where young people can learn and interact with their classmates and regain a sense of hope despite the ongoing of war,” said Karolina Lindholm Billing, UNHCR’s Representative in Ukraine.

“All of us cherish precious school memories from childhood. In Kharkiv, following the full-scale invasion, thousands of children have been deprived of the joy of meeting new friends, playing together, and exchanging with their teachers. This shelter school not only provides a safe learning environment for in-person education but also restores a sense of normalcy, allowing children to grow and learn despite the war. Today, we are grateful for our collaboration with UNHCR, the Kharkiv City Council, Kholodnogirsky District, the Department of Education of Kharkiv City, the Office of Reform and our partners, Spilna Sprava Dlia Liudey, in ensuring safe education and hope for more than 300 children, their teachers, and school staff. This is a collective achievement for children to have a brighter future,” said Barnabas Szatmari, LWF Country Representative in Ukraine.

“The war has changed everything. Instead of opening new modern schools, we are forced to equip educational spaces underground. This is not a choice, but a necessity. Thanks to the new safe location, another 300 pupils will be able to sit down at their desks. The total number of children in Kharkiv studying in a mixed format will increase to 7,500. These are schoolchildren who no longer hear the teacher’s voice through a screen, but right next to them. They are together again – communicating, making friends, laughing. And this is priceless, because school is not only about knowledge, but also about emotions, socialization, and support. Thanks to our international partners, such as UNHCR, we can continue to create such spaces to give thousands of children a chance to have a future. This is a chance to save a generation that will grow up strong, educated and ready to rebuild their country. We thank everyone who helps us to give children, a normal childhood in these difficult conditions,” said Ihor Terekhov, Kharkiv Mayor.

The Railway Lyceum is one of five schools in the Kharkiv region that UNHCR and LWF in partnership – and together with authorities – have identified for rehabilitation and reconstruction, while a sixth underground school has been supported with furniture and equipment. The aim is to provide a safe space for in-person schooling for some 2,500 children, along with more than 400 teachers and staff. The initiative will also benefit caregivers, as having children back in full-time school allows them to pursue job opportunities and support their families financially

Earlier this month, the underground school in Pishchanka was opened, welcoming some 200 children, and other schools in Berestyn, Merefa, and Lozova are expected to open in coming months.

UNHCR’s support for constructing classrooms in underground shelters to ensure safe in-person learning was agreed upon during a meeting between the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, and President Zelenskyy during the High Commissioner’s visit to Ukraine in July 2024.