Several hundred Ukrainian children arrive in France every day: an exceptional, urgent situation. In two weeks, the number of students welcomed has been multiplied by seven: from nearly 800 to more than 5,000. According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Education, unveiled on March 29, 2022, there are 5,266 students, distributed for 3,301 in schools, 1,508 in colleges and 439 in high schools. The academies that welcome the most children are those of Nice, Versailles or Strasbourg.
In the very short term, perhaps as early as next week, there could be 10,000 schoolchildren, according to the ministry, which underlines “still have capacity”with a key objective: to get them into school as quickly as possible, so that they can find a kind of normalcy after the traumas of war.
At the heart of this device: the “Ukraine cell” of the rue de Grenelle, in Paris, set up from March 3. Marion Mallet-Petiot is one of the four people who work there. “There is a particularity linked to the Ukrainian situation which is at the gates of Europe. An unprecedented situation due to the number of children we welcome in a very very short time”she analyzes.
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What also differentiates these arrivals of Ukrainians from other nationalities is the constant link with their country. Moreover, the children continue to take courses in Ukrainian, via the internet, explains Florentine Petit, who coordinates the cell: “Access to Ukrainian culture, language and education system is a wish of the Ukrainian Minister of Education. There is a Ukrainian platform that offers training videos, exercises for middle school students and high school but also an assessment to see how the students are progressing.”
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Some families hope to return to Ukraine soon after the war is over. Others are only in transit to southern Europe, such as Spain, Italy, Portugal where large Ukrainian communities are settled.
In the meantime, the children are educated with the other pupils, in ordinary classes. But they benefit from specific support, to learn French, like other allophone children, thanks to the UPE2A, dedicated educational units. Their grade level issatisfactory“, judge Florentine Petit.
“There is a very high literacy rate in Ukraine, they are very connected students, who are used to digital technology, their school programs have subjects that are very similar to what we have in France”
Florentine Petit, member of the Ukraine cellat franceinfo
The Ministry of National Education expects the arrival of many young Ukrainians in the coming days, very quickly reaching the bar of 10,000 students. Different scenarios for caring for these children are being studied to accommodate more of them. For the moment, there is no shortage of arms in schools to integrate these students as quickly as possible. The administration observes a strong mobilization of the teaching community.