Underground and resilient: the new reality of Ukrainian schools

Today, Ukrainian students hear the school bell far less often than air raid sirens. The daily realities of war have forced the education system to transform almost beyond recognition. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, explosions brought classrooms to a standstill. Yet schooling quickly resumed in new forms—often underground or online. Ukrainian schools have undergone a profound transformation, with education now encompassing not only academic knowledge but also safety training, psychological support, and the skills needed to adapt under fire.

A new educational environment

According to the Ministry of Education, by May 2025, over 80% of Ukrainian schools had shelters, allowing in-person classes even in areas under missile threat. In many communities, shelters have become genuine learning spaces, hosting classes, play areas for younger students, and even projectors for full-scale lessons. In 2025, construction of underground school campuses began, with 15 already completed and more than 180 scheduled to open by year’s end.

Schools in frontline regions operate in a hybrid format: some lessons are online, while others take place in shelters. Where the threat of shelling is daily, the educational process is adapted for rapid evacuation: classrooms are located near safe zones, and schedules are restructured to ensure no learning time is lost during alarms.

Survival becomes a core curriculum

Safety training is now an integral part of education. Evacuation drills, first-aid instruction, and emergency preparedness exercises are standard.

As part of Ukraine’s school safety reforms, more than a thousand schools now employ Educational Safety Inspectors—specially trained police officers whose responsibilities extend beyond maintaining order. They also conduct regular training sessions for students, parents, and teachers. By May 2025, over 1,250 inspectors were serving in schools across the country.

In some schools, particularly in southern and eastern Ukraine, administrators have developed their own protocols for responding to shelling, tailored to shelter type, student age, and access to the internet. For younger children, some schools use game-based or story-driven methods to explain, in a reassuring way, what to do during an air raid.

Addressing psychological impact

Psychological support has become as crucial as physical safety. Students living under the constant threat of missile strikes face the loss of friends, family members, and sometimes their homes. Schools have stepped in as centers for restoring children’s trust in the world. They now offer group sessions with psychologists, art therapy, and exercises focused on breathing, movement, and stress relief. Online platforms with animated exercises—such as “Resilience for the Resilient”—enable children in frontline communities to work on emotional stability alongside their parents.

Teachers also receive training in basic psychological first aid. They are taught to recognize signs of anxiety in students, respond appropriately to traumatic statements, and restore a safe classroom environment after air raid alerts. In some schools, dedicated “emotional relief spaces” have been created, featuring soft lighting, calming music, and relaxation exercises to help students decompress.

Schools as community anchors

In a country at war, schools have become centers of community resilience. They bring together students, teachers, parents, volunteers, medical personnel, and even military staff. Education is no longer a separate sphere—it is part of a broader effort to maintain stability and hope amid crisis.

Ukrainian schools have evolved beyond their traditional role. They are spaces where children develop resilience, solidarity, and the capacity to adapt to extraordinary circumstances. Even under the shadow of conflict, students continue to envision a future where school is again just a place for learning.

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Created with the support of the Association of Independent Regional Publishers of Ukraine and Amediastiftelsen as part of the Regional Media Support Hub project. The authors’ views do not necessarily coincide with the official position of the partners.

Read more — When the world feels unsafe: how to talk to children about war