Ukrainian high school students switch to remote learning and flee abroad to avoid mobilization

Ukrainian high school seniors (11th graders) are increasingly switching to distance learning and leaving the country. The main reasons behind this trend are parents’ desire to ensure their children’s safety and growing concerns over a possible reduction in the mobilization age to 18.

This was reported in an interview with Ukrinform by Education Ombudsperson Nadiia Leshchyk.

“This is a sad statistic. A certain number of students begin 11th grade, but then many are transferred to remote learning and move abroad, finishing school in a distance format. We need to understand the reasons for this. The first is safety concerns: children do not feel safe, and parents are deeply worried. Another factor is fear of reports about mobilization starting from age 18,” she explained.

According to her, the number of students registered to take the National Multisubject Test (NMT) abroad this year has risen to 20,000, compared to 16,000 last year.

Leshchyk also noted a decline in the number of children from occupied territories joining Ukraine’s educational system in 2025.

“According to various estimates, about 600,000 children live in temporarily occupied territories. This school year, 44,000 joined the Ukrainian education system, down from 56,000 the previous year. That’s a sharp drop in just one year,” she said.

Earlier, Leshchyk stated that Ukraine is losing both boys and girls.

Meanwhile, British media reported that due to constant shelling and a lack of prospects, young women have been leaving Ukraine en masse.