Securing education access for children in occupied territories: Experts call for comprehensive state program and dedicated authority

Ensuring access to education for children in temporarily occupied territories, and easing their eventual enrollment in Ukrainian schools and universities, could play a crucial role in reintegrating these young people into Ukraine-controlled regions. However, experts argue that significant steps must be taken to achieve this goal, starting with the creation of a comprehensive state program and the establishment of a dedicated governmental body.

This issue was a focal point during a recent discussion at Media Center Ukraine.

“For a decade now, it’s been baffling to me why there’s still no state program to support these children,” said Valentina Potapova, Head of the Direction of National Advocacy Department at the Almenda NGO. “We need a program that is fully developed, funded, and all-encompassing.”

Potapova highlighted that while Ukraine is set to adopt several policies regarding the temporarily occupied territories, there is still no specific strategy for ensuring access to education for children who remain in those regions. She emphasized that this gap affects not only higher education but also secondary education.

Echoing her concerns, Yaroslav Taranets, legal analyst at East-SOS Charity Foundation, stressed the need for a dedicated authority to oversee the implementation of the proposed state program. He argued that establishing a governing entity or an authorized unit within one of the central executive authorities is crucial.

“In order to develop this program and determine the necessary measures, there needs to be a responsible body overseeing this policy, or at the very least, a designated unit within one of the central executive authorities. Personally, I believe this should be a directorate that essentially functions as a full-fledged think tank, collecting information from both the temporarily occupied territories and government-controlled areas, analyzing it, and using the data to develop effective solutions that will facilitate the return of children from the occupied territories,” he added.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news