In Crimea, young people are faced with a choice between education and the front

For young people in occupied Crimea, the choice between education and war is becoming increasingly difficult: the Russian system pushes them to join the army, and the path to Ukrainian education often begins with escape. In response, Ukraine has simplified the recognition of education for Crimean schoolchildren and students.

This was reported by Krym. Realii.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has simplified the procedure for recognizing educational results for schoolchildren and youth from the temporarily occupied territories. The new rules should make it easier for children who studied in the occupation to obtain Ukrainian educational documents and enter Ukrainian educational institutions.

According to Denys Chystikov, Deputy Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, interest in Ukrainian education among young people from the occupied Crimea is not disappearing. At the same time, a significant number of applications concern not only enrollment, but also the search for opportunities to leave the occupied territory for the territory controlled by Ukraine. The mood of young people is also influenced by the Kremlin's statements about the possible deprivation of citizenship of disloyal residents of the occupied territories.

Chistikov emphasized that the Russian authorities are increasing pressure through the education system. In particular, the cost of higher education in Crimea is rising, and benefits are often offered to those who participate in the war against Ukraine.

At the same time, leaving the peninsula is becoming increasingly difficult, especially for young men over the age of 18. According to him, the occupiers monitor and limit the ways for young people to leave, although public initiatives and educational platforms continue to help Crimean youth seek opportunities to evacuate and enter Ukrainian educational institutions.

Oleh Ohredko, an expert at the Almenda Center for Civic Education, believes that the new procedure for recognizing education does facilitate access to Ukrainian documents. Previously, graduates had to pass about 20 exams, but now the number of tests has been reduced to 5-6, depending on the subject.

However, according to him, the actual implementation of the new rules is hampered by bureaucratic difficulties: there is a lack of guidelines, explanations for schools, and sufficient information for both educators and families in the occupied territories. Some Ukrainian educational institutions are not even aware of the existence of the new system.

Okhredko also stated that the militarization of education in the annexed Crimea is increasing. According to him, young people are involved in military-patriotic projects, and the education system is increasingly focused on preparing young people for service in the Russian army.

According to the official data of the Representative Office of the President of Ukraine in the ARC, Crimean schools graduate about 10,000 students in grades 9 and 11 every year, but last year only about 50 graduates from Crimea entered Ukrainian educational institutions under a simplified procedure. At the same time, Ukrainian authorities expect that these figures may increase after the changes in the rules.

In late April, the SBU exposed a scheme to militarize teenagers in the temporarily occupied Crimea, where young men were being trained to participate in the war against Ukraine. The organizers of these activities were served suspicion notices in absentia for war crimes and propaganda of Russian aggression.

Анна Бальчінос