In classes where children return after a long-term online learning, psychological problems may arise. Numbers and faces: how the war changed the life of schoolchildren of Ukraine Culture and education For Nelson Rodriguez, a specialist in the formation of UNICEF-Ukraine, an international day of protection from attacks in the field of education is not just another date on the UN calendar, but a reminder of the daily difficulties that Ukrainian children face daily. Nelson travels a lot around the country, helping to introduce UNICEF educational programs, and he has something to share with readers of the UN news service. “Children strive to study under any circumstances” ~ 60 > most of all in the tough realities of Nelson’s war are striking in the desire of Ukrainian children, despite the school, sit down at the desk next to classmates and feel the “normality” of the educational process. “I would definitely note the desire of children to study, go to school, communicate with friends, learn something new. I think this is very important in the current conditions and deserves a separate mention, ”he says. many children, especially those who, due to threats of security, are forced to study exclusively online, experience difficulties in social and emotional development. Nelson recalls the story of a teacher who accidentally met her students in a supermarket – and they did not recognize her in real life, outside the computer screen. “You can imagine a situation in which children do not perceive their teacher at all as a living person ?” – he says. lesson interrupted by sirens ~ 60 > where real schools continue to work, lessons are often interrupted by sirens. Airy anxiety forces children and teachers to descend into shelters, sometimes several times a day. ~ 60 > Nelson recalls the school, where the holiday is September 1 – with flowers, balloons and generally joyful atmosphere – unexpectedly interrupted by anxiety. “Imagine: you are six years old, this is your first day at school, you are just starting to realize that you now have a new life – and suddenly you have to run to the shelter,” he says. ~ 60 > 60 ~ Blockquote > Imagine: You are six years old, you are just starting to be aware of what you have for you. Now a new life – and suddenly you have to run to the shelter According to Nelson, it is precisely such experiences that form childhood in Ukraine today. “We are used to thinking about the war, first of all, as the destruction of infrastructure – and, indeed, 10 percent of educational institutions in the country are destroyed or damaged. But the protection of education is also a minimization of constant interruptions in training and staying in uncertainty, ”Nelson emphasizes. ~ 60 > in classes where children return after long-term online learning, psychological problems may arise. “They are not used to the physical neighborhood at the desk with another child, who may turn out to be an absolute stranger, because before that they studied alone, in a well -known home space,” Nelson notes. unisef helps Ukrainian schools and communities organize additional classes, preschool programs and lessons to replenish spaces. Shelters are already equipped in 90 percent of the country’s schools, which allows us to return to classes to more children. But the emotional load remains high. “We must understand how constant anxieties and interruptions leave a deep imprint on the mental health and well -being of children, and we need to decide how we are Unisef, our partners and the international community as a whole – we can minimize this impact,” Nelson emphasizes. 62 > 62 > 62 ~ for statistics 60 > 62 ~ for Nelson Rodriguez the figures of statistics are thousands of damaged schools, a third of students who continue to study completely or partly online – only part of a much larger picture. His memory has now, apparently, has forever captured the alarming faces of Ukrainian children in classes and shelters, their resistance in the face of constant danger and the desire for normal school life. ~ 60 > “Protection of Education is not only the repair of buildings,” he says. – This is ensuring that children can continue to study, develop and feel safe, even when the world around is full of uncertainty. ”