A threat to the country’s development: due to the war, Ukrainian students are two years behind in their education

Due to the war in Ukraine, the knowledge level of Ukrainian teenagers is lagging at least two years behind the necessary standards. This was revealed by the results of PISA-2022, an international program that assesses students’ educational achievements.

This statement was made by Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Education, Nadiya Kuzmycheva.

She explained that because of relocations and missed lessons, many students have not only lost access to subject knowledge but also to practical skills, including socialization and future professional opportunities.

Kuzmycheva emphasized that these are “extremely serious” consequences of the war, which pose significant risks to the country’s future.

“Educational losses don’t just affect the individual development of children – in the long run, they can hinder the economic and social progress of the entire country. The World Bank predicts that due to these educational setbacks, these students will collectively lose billions of dollars in lifetime income. This is a real threat to our human capital and the development of the entire country,” she stated.

She also mentioned that the Ministry of Education is developing a strategy to bring children back to in-person learning to compensate for these losses.

Earlier, the Minister of Education reported that around 400,000 children had left Ukraine but remained part of the national education system. However, this number is gradually decreasing.

Additionally, research has shown that Ukrainian students are using the state language less frequently.