Air raid alarms interrupt classes. Many schools, especially in frontline areas, remain closed due to hostilities or lack of adequate shelters, forcing nearly a million children to study online, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
In 2025 alone, more than 340 educational facilities were damaged or destroyed, further disrupting the lives of children and their right to education. Since the start of the large-scale invasion, the UN has verified that around 2,800 schools have been damaged, although the true number is likely much higher.
“Schools must be protected spaces where children can learn safely, even during war. In times of crisis, education provides a lifeline and a sense of normality for children,” said Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine.
A critical lifesaver
“Despite the challenges, the children of Ukraine are determined to continue learning, whether in school or online, in classrooms or in shelters. They are hopeful for a future in which they will be able to achieve their dreams,” he added.
UNICEF’s response, together with the government and its local partners, has enabled more than half a million children to access inclusive formal or non-formal education, including safe in-person learning, helping them catch up on lost learning through remedial education.
As Ukraine enters another winter of war, UNICEF continues to provide vital cash assistance to help families prepare for the cold months. In October alone, 22,557 households received winter cash assistance. So far in the 2024-2025 winter season, UNICEF has helped a total of 43,337 households, reaching 140,234 people, including 63,416 children, 30,738 of them girls.
Protecting schools and children’s right to education is not optional during war: it is imperative, UNICEF stressed, urging international partners to continue supporting Ukraine’s education sector as a “non-negotiable investment” in children and the country’s future.