UN agencies are calling on Ukrainian refugee parents to register their children in the Polish school system.

Learning in presence at a safe location with peers and teachers is not only important for the education of Ukrainian child refugees, but it is fundamental for their ability to socialize, their mental health and their well-being, the agencies said.

The UN agencies have indicated their approval of the Polish school system for welcoming refugee students across the country.

In Poland, Ukrainian refugees represent 4% of all students registered. In over 85,000 classrooms, there is at least one refugee student.

UN Agencies, schools offers opportunity to integrate to refugee children

"Schools are much more than places of learning, especially at war times," said Rashed Mustafa Sarwar, national coordinator for UNICEF's refugee response in Poland.

"[Schools] offer children who have already suffered losses, displacement and violence a sense of routine and safety, the possibility of building friendships and of being helped by teachers, as well as the chance to integrate themselves in their hosting communities. They offer access to services to support the mental health and well-being of the children," added Kevin J. Allen, UNHCR Representative in Poland.

"We must take advantage of the schooling offered to Ukrainian children at Polish schools and ensure that they attend, developing the needed competencies to contribute to a brighter future in Ukraine when the situation will allow it," he said.

Nearly half of Ukrainian refugee children in Poland -- around 173,000 -- are currently registered in the Polish school system, including primary and secondary school.

Approximately one Ukrainian student in five (22%) of secondary school age attended a Polish school at the end of the last academic year.

Refugee children who are not registered in the Polish school system are probably trying to complete their studies online through the Ukrainian study program or other platforms for distance learning.

While these methods provide a short-term solution, the UN Agencies say they do not support social development and often fail to produce the same positive academic results in the long-term.

Ukrainian children had already lost years of learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the agencies said.

While there are no verified figures, it is estimated that approximately 30% of Ukrainian children who are enrolled in the Polish school system are also studying online. For these children it can be very tiring and difficult.

Hurdles to education

The low schooling registration rates can be attributed to factors such as frequent travel between Poland and Ukraine, as well as obstacles created by linguistic barriers and the ability of schools to enroll new students.

The UNICEF refugee response office in Poland is working together with the Ministry of Education and Science, municipalities and civil society partners to increase access to quality learning for children in Poland.

This means providing support for the inclusion of children who are not enrolled in the national school systems, as well as training teachers and school staff on how to integrate vulnerable children into their classes.

The agencies are also providing language courses, mental health and psycho-social support.

Learning Passport platform

The UNICEF-Microsoft Learning Passport platform, launched last week to support the inclusion of refugees and the mental health of all students, will train 8,900 teachers who will teach 200,000 children in Poland in 2023.

UNHCR in Poland is coordinating a refugee response of over 80 organizations to help support the Polish authorities.

UNHCR has a long-standing working relationship with the Ministry of Education regarding assistance for children who are either refugees or asylum-seekers.