the country’s schoolchildren invited to resume lessons, from a distance, to maintain an “almost normal” life

Everything seems to have frozen on February 23 in this school in Odessa, the last day the students came to class, on the eve of the Russian offensive in Ukraine. Their lockers are still occupied by bags, jackets, shoes. In this private school, the director, Tatiana Piétra Kévitch, is eager to find, even through a screen, her 90 students: “Keeping in touch with their classmates, with their teachers, creates a positive psychological impact on them. In this way, they don’t stray too far from an almost normal reality.”

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The Ukrainian Ministry of National Education has asked all schools in the country to resume lessons on Monday March 14, remotely, for those who can. The war is part of a long time and many students and teachers have taken refuge abroad.

For the past two weeks, the first two of the war, the schools had been declared on vacation by the ministry. But the teachers of this small school of seven classes have nevertheless tried to make some connections with their students, explains Victoria Vitka, head of education: “The biggest problem is the air-raid sirens, because of course the lessons are interrupted. The children are scared.”

“Now they understand better what is happening, but the first times they did not know what to do to hide. And now we explain to them.”

Victoria Vitka, head of education at a school in Odessa

at franceinfo

Half of the students and teachers left the city of Odessa. Some are in other regions of Ukraine, others abroad. “Croatia, Poland, Romania, Spain…”, list Anna Mudra, a teacher whose class has become very cosmopolitan. This French teacher will teach herself from Paris, where she has taken refuge with a friend: “I think it’s more about being in contact with the students, showing them that it’s okay, keeping the students busy so that these children can’t think about this ugly war that’s going on at home.”

The school has a well-appointed basement, with a kitchen, toilets and space to store food. Until the students can return, this shelter will serve the inhabitants of the neighborhood.