Displaying items by tag: back to school

379 children have been killed since the war in Ukraine began; 223 are missing; 7,013 children have been forcibly transferred to Russia. Six months of war have damaged 2,400 schools and destroyed 269. Most teenagers are anxious about returning to school. For Mariia Makohin, walking through the college gates was an act of bravery. ‘I was a little bit nervous because I don’t know what Russian terrorists will do nowadays. Every day we have sirens, and I don’t know if they will attack us when we are at school.’ The return to school routine introduced a new ritual: a practice run to the school’s bomb shelter in the basement. In schools across Ukraine, debris has been cleared, blood scrubbed off floors, and repairs made where possible as a generation of shell-shocked children return to their studies. Only half of Ukraine’s schools have reopened, due to extreme risks of bombings.

Some children may be feeling excited about the easing of some of the lockdown restrictions. But it is also normal for children and young people to feel anxious about it. During lockdown they have spent long periods of time at home and are living with uncertainty about the coming weeks and months. Moving out of lockdown might be worrying, and some may find it difficult to adjust. Before the pandemic some were already suffering bullying, cyber bullying, school challenges, or relationship challenges. Coming out of lockdown for these more vulnerable children may cause them to fear meeting up with others at school. They may need some time to adjust to the new situation. Also some parents will be struggling to decide whether their child should go back to school at the moment. Pray that they will feel comfortable in deciding what is right for the entire family.