There are many children and young people who are war refugees from Ukraine in Estonia. For various reasons, Estonia does not have significant information about their well-being nor current involvement in educational institutions.
According to the Minister of Education and Research, Tõnis Lukas, Ukrainian war refugees are cared for in our society and it is our duty to contribute to the continuation of their studies in Estonia. "This actually means that the children and young people are to obey the law and go to school. Each student should be associated with a specific school so that they can count on the support of the teachers and support specialists of that school. The current situation, where many students continue their studies only in the Ukrainian e-school or in two schools at the same time, fearing that their education will not be recognized when they return to Ukraine, is neither good nor student-friendly," emphasized Lukas.
Tõnis Lukas: "Naturally, I also hope that these children will soon be able to return to their homes and schools. However, we also must be prepared if their education continues at the next level of education in Estonia or if they want to enter our labor market. In any case, all war refugees need the reassurance that they can return to Ukraine at some point, continue with their unfinished lives and continue their studies. At the same time, we must be sure that they are able to continue in this society and participate in everyday life, if necessary, to avoid more substantial social problems. I hope that at the meeting we will come to a mutual understanding of how to resolve the situation in a way that suits all parties, so that we can quickly start working towards this direction. Of course, we are also there to familiarize ourselves with the Ukrainian education system and its current state."
Additional information and contact during the visit:
Liisa Ojaveer
Strategic Planning and Communications Department
Area of EU and International Cooperation
Adviser
liisa.ojaveer@hm.ee
512 2330
