Schools set up in Kharkiv metro to protect Ukrainian kids
Kharkiv’s metro has transformed into a school for over a thousand students since the beginning of the school year, offering in-person learning, according to a report by BBC on Sep. 12.
The city
authorities of Kharkiv have established 17 classrooms with soundproofing and
climate control on five subway stations. Desks have been set up in utility
rooms located above the platforms where trains run.
During the summer,
officials inspected bomb shelters at Kharkiv’s schools and found that 126 were
deemed suitable for accommodating children. However, their decision changed due
to mass rocket strikes by S-300 missiles. Therefore, the authorities opted to
create a school within the metro.
Requests from
parents returning to Kharkiv prompted a return to in-person learning. Some
adults believed that online learning had led to a decline in children’s
knowledge and discipline.
“It was already
very difficult for us to study at home. You can’t turn off the camera and say,
‘I’m going to bed.’ We needed this, so we enrolled in the school,” explained
Kateryna Barsuk, who decided to send her 14-year-old daughter Alina to the
metro school.
To attend the
metro school, Alina temporarily left her previous school. In the city, this is
considered a temporary leave. However, like any other student, Alina retains
her place at her permanent educational institution and can return at any time.
In total, 61
classes were established at the metro school, with one-third being
first-graders. There are also classes for grades 5 to 8 and one graduating
class. Students attend classes in two shifts.
During lessons,
“tutors” accompany the students to the restroom if necessary to ensure their
safety.
The metro school
provides instruction in core subjects in-person. First-graders learn to read,
write, and do math, while older students study mathematics, Ukrainian and
English, physics, and chemistry. They study other subjects online from home.
For example, during the first week of learning, Alina spent three days in the
metro school and two days learning from home.
Since September,
the number of students willing to return to in-person learning has increased,
allowing for the addition of another class. The school plans to expand
throughout the academic year.
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